Room Service
by Mademoiselle Arel
Summary: When the whole town is infested with a so-called bug problem, Regina and Robin are forced to share a hotel room.
1. Chapter 1

**It's 5 am, I am reading The Social Contract by Jean Jacques Rousseau and my midterms start this week.**

**Let's do this.**

**Author's Note: This takes place after the second curse but Regina and Robin's established relationship is similar to the one in the Enchanted Forest. They do not like each other.**

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Regina Mills finally put the pen down and rubbed her aching knuckles with her left hand. She closed her eyes and groaned, mentally scanning the work she had gotten through and the amount of paperwork she had due the next day. When she opened her eyes, she was faced once again with stacks of papers filled with her own handwriting which had turned sloppier towards the end. It had been a long day and she was aching to get home, draw herself a bath, and possibly fall into a blissful sleep after, without any rude interruptions. Yes, she was going to do that. Already beginning to feel a start of an ache on her eyelids due to being awake for over 18 hours, she looked around to locate her bag and reached for it to start packing her stuff. She just couldn't wait to go home. But of course she was interrupted by her phone ringing.

She didn't even think twice once she picked up the phone, hoping to get rid of the person at the other end of the line so she could leave her office as quickly as she could.

"Hello?"

"Oh Regina, thank God you're there."

She closed her eyes and sighed. Her, again.

"What is it now Miss Swan? Because I can assure you, I have no time for-"

"Bugs."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." The blonde said over the phone. "Houses are crawling with them."

"That can't be, someone from the Environmental Protection Agency was supposed to come in for a monthly check weeks ago." With that, her hands instantly reached for her drawer, eyes searching for the piece of paperwork, proving her argument.

"Supposed to but didn't."

"I don't understand-"

"Long story short, we can't go home."

Regina closed her eyes once more and brought a hand to her face to rub the delicate skin on her forehead. Between her work and Henry, that was the last thing she needed right now.

"Okay I guess I'll head over to my place, grab my stuff and check myself into a hotel."

"No!"

"Excuse me?" she raised her eyebrows."

"You can't go home. I already called the uhm… pesticide people and they're at your house right now."

"You did what?!" the brunette snapped.

"What was I supposed to do? You're the mayor; you're supposed to take care of all this."

"Miss Swan-"

"Just get your ass over to Granny's."

"What about Henry?"

"Henry's with me, here. See ya!" with that the phone line got disconnected and Regina just stood there, dumbfounded. She didn't have a change of clothes! _I'm going to kill that woman _she thought to herself and grabbing her bag, she headed for the door.

At the other end of the town, in Granny's diner, Emma let out a huge laugh after hanging up the phone with Regina. Soon after she was joined by Henry and Mary Margaret.

"She bought it?" Henry asked excitedly, slipping into the booth right next to his mom as he eyed Mary Margaret who also sat opposite from them.

"Oh yeah!" the blonde replied with a huge grin on her face.

"And who's getting Robin?" Mary Margaret spoke.

"I spoke to Will, he's taking care of him." Henry replied and earned a good job from his mom.

"Now it's Granny's turn." With that they all turned to look at the old woman behind the counter who gave them a thumps up in return.

Regina practically dragged herself to the diner; her feet almost giving up beneath her. It was the last place she wanted to be right now. Of course she was never opposed to having breakfast here with her son on a quiet Saturday morning, but right now all she needed was her own house and her own bed. She even dreaded the idea of a social contact.

So when she opened the door and heard the little bell ring, she instantly cringed and her discomfort grew even more when she saw her step daughter waving at her from the distance. It was going to be a very long day.

Not even bothering to wave back to Mary Margaret, she made her way to the back of the diner and into the entrance of the little bed and breakfast that Granny ran ever since she cursed them. Even after the second curse, the old woman insisted on running the diner even though no one was obligated to play their former roles anymore. But much to Regina's dismay, the townspeople loved Granny and no one opposed her decision.

When she moved past the diner, however, she was surprised to find a certain outlaw sitting on one the couch in front of the reception, looking rather bored.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she found herself say. She wasn't exactly on good terms with the thief and the last thing she wanted was to see his face. She had zero tolerance left and wasn't up for their usual daily banter which drained half of her energy and yet strangely made her crave it more. But every day she managed to shake off the thought and go on with her day.

"Waiting." Was his short and snarky response.

"For what exactly?"

"Same thing as you apparently."

"And what would that be?"

"A room. Will didn't let me go back to my tent because of a bug problem thanks to a certain mayor." He answered, his blue eyes eyeing her up and down with a sarcastic expression on his face.

Again, Regina was not up for their daily banter but here it was anyway instigated by him.

"Your tent always has a bug problem because of the fact that you live… where is it that you live again? Oh that's right, on a muddy spot in the middle of nowhere." She bit back at him.

"It's called the forest."

"It's dirty."

"It's nature!"

She rolled her eyes and faced away from him, not even bringing herself to sit down on the couch next to him while they impatiently waited for Granny to show up.

"But of course you wouldn't know that because that your royal ass of yours hasn't seen anything but the luxury of your own office." He suddenly spoke, startling her.

She turned to him, eyes wide as ever as she started at him with a furious expression on her face. Upon seeing her flushed cheeks, flared nostrils, and raised eyebrows, Robin gave a smirk which only angered her even more.

"You better keep your mouth shut, thief, or else-"

"Or else what?" he suddenly stood up so he could be at eye level with her. She took a step towards him and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Or else I'll-"

"Restrain yourselves guys, I don't want blood on my carpet."

Upon hearing those words, they both snapped out of their trance and turned to find the grey haired woman standing right behind the counter with an ironic smile on her face.

"What can I get you?" she asked.

"A room!" they spoke at the same time with voices still loud, remnants of their little fight earlier.

Regina tried to calm her breathing. She wasn't going to let him ruin her evening so she just hoped that Granny would give her her key as quick as possible so she could leave the company of the outlaw and retire to her room.

"Alright." The older woman spoke and reached down to take out a couple of papers hidden in one of her drawers.

"Just fill these out and here's your key." With that she placed a one single key on the counter and looked up to face them with another annoying smile plastered on her face.

"Excuse me?" Regina spoke and was quickly backed up by Robin.

"What's this?"

"It's a key." Granny spoke, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"There's only one." Regina pointed out after a beat, taking one step closer to the counter so she could clarify her observation that yes in fact, there was only one key on the counter.

"Oh did you want two keys? I'm sure we can arrange that."

"Yes, we want two keys to two different rooms." Robin spoke and also took another step towards the old woman, coming to stand right next to Regina.

"I'm afraid that's not possible." came Granny's automated response.

"I beg your pardon?" the brunette asked, her tone getting angrier by the second.

"There's only one room left."

"I don't understand, how about those keys?" Robin asked, one hand coming to point towards the stack of keys that were hanging on the wall.

"All reserved." Granny answered without looking back at the wall, which raised suspicion.

"That can't be-"

"I'm afraid it is, so sign the forms please."

"No, you don't understand." Regina took another step and rested her hands on the counter which separated them from the grey haired woman. "I can't stay with him."

"Nor can I with her." Robin completed her sentence from behind.

"And that is not my problem." Granny responded, a smile tugging at her lips but she refused to give it away as she eyed the two of them.

"This ridiculous. Where's Emma? I will stay with her."

"She's staying with Henry."

"Then I will stay with them-"

"I'm afraid that room is for two people only." Granny quickly countered earning a sigh from Regina.

"And my boy-" Robin started but was interrupted by the old woman.

"With Will Scarlet."

"And let me guess, that room is also full?" he asked with an annoyed expression.

Granny leaned against the counter and addressed Robin.

"That is correct."

There was a pause and an obvious tension before Regina groaned in annoyance.

"This is stupid. I can't stay with him. What if he steals something from me?"

"What am I going to steal? Your overpriced blazer?" Robin spoke now addressing her."

"I bet you would sell it or give it to the poor." She replied, turning to face him.

"Even the poor aren't interested in your clothes." Robin said and his fingers gently brushed her jacket while making his point. But it seemed Regina got furious with the contact, staring at him with her mouth hanging open.

"How dare you touch me?!"

"What? Never experienced the touch of a real man while you're sober?"

"No but you're about to experience the slap of a real woman."

"Oh bring it." He took a step towards him, eyes never leaving hers. There were inches between them and the tension was enough to make everyone in the room uncomfortable which was unfortunately Granny for the time being and she was dying to get out of the situation.

"Are you two going to sign the forms or what?" she suddenly said, interrupting the couple.

At that moment Regina realized, she was in no position to argue. She had been working for God knew how many hours, her back ached, her feet refused to carry her and she could barely keep her eyes open and frankly she was trying very hard to keep herself awake for her little banter with the outlaw.

So maybe it was because of the exhaustion but without turning to look at him, she grabbed a pen and quickly signed the forms, and passed it to him so he could do the same. He paused for a second, probably getting himself to believe that she actually agreed to staying with him, but he gathered himself together and quickly signed the papers himself so they could finally go up to their room.

He wasn't surprised when Regina grabbed the keys before he did and tried to head for the diner only to be interrupted by Granny once more.

"It's closed."

"It's 7 pm." Regina turned to look at the old woman.

"I'm closing early so either go up to your room or get out."

Regina sighed and closed her eyes. Life was playing a cruel joke on her. Feeling the weight of her handbag which reminded her how she desperately needed a rest, she quickly averted her gaze from both the old woman and the outlaw; she turned around and headed for the stairs which led to their room. Deciding it was the best thing to do, Robin followed her, giving Granny a quick nod on his way out.

After making her way to the 3rd floor and cursing Granny on her way up, Regina finally found the door to her, well their, room and fumbled with the keys. Her headache was growing worse with each passing second as she desperately tried to open the door when she heard him speak from behind her.

"Are you also incapable of opening a door?"

She paused and let out a long sigh, and decided not to answer him. Instead she concentrated on the lock before her and forced the door open with a huge thump. When she walked in, however, she froze on the spot as her eyes scanned the empty hotel room.

"What? What is this, some kind of a sick joke?!"

"Why, what's going-" but before Robin could finish his sentence, he was also faced with the situation in the room.

Only one bed.

"Hell no!" Robin exclaimed, taking a step back towards the door. "I'm going back to the forest."

"Are you forgetting the overpopulation of bugs or are you willing to make friends with the insects too?" Regina snapped without looking at him, her eyes still trying to get used to the sight of that one bed.

Her remark stopped Robin dead in his tracks. She could be a snob but she was right. Besides, even if he went back to the forest, he wasn't going to be able to take Roland with him, who was already getting used to the luxury of the bed and breakfast and was quite happy staying with Will, who made various jokes to keep the boy entertained. Who was he to deny his son that little fun? So, closing his eyes momentarily, he felt himself give up and slowly walked back into the room.

"Well, I'm open to suggestions." He spoke, coming up from behind her.

"We can't share." Regina replied, eyeing him and his three day old scruff that made her want to stare at him even longer but she quickly averted her gaze.

"So one of us has to take the floor considering there's no sofa." And indeed there wasn't. That old hag was crappy at managing hotels.

"Obviously not me." Regina scoffed.

"No, we wouldn't want that pretty little ass of yours to experience that pleasure now, would we?"

"Call my ass pretty one more time and yours will be flying out the window."

Robin only smirked at the brunette which annoyed her even more. Who did he think he was?! He was nothing more than a common thief. A common thief with gorgeous blue eyes and an adorable son, but that was it. He was an outlaw and he had no respect whatsoever.

"I'll step outside for a while to check on Roland. They're staying upstairs with Will."

Regina's heart melted at the sound of Roland's name. He was the only thing she liked about the thief; his adorable dimpled little boy who for some weird reason loved Regina as much as she loved him which was different for her. She wasn't used to people liking her and strangely, this boy did. She was one step away from asking Robin if she could tag alone but she restrained herself. She could always see Roland later.

"Will you be okay while I'm gone?" Robin asked, a smile playing his lips.

"Don't worry. I won't miss you." She replied, eyes never leaving his.

"The feeling's mutual, your majesty." He spit back, words filled with sarcasm and distaste towards her.

With that, he turned around, walked out of the door and left her all alone in the empty hotel room. Upon meeting with silence, Regina let out a long sigh and closed her eyes. Well this was all she wanted after all, some peace to herself, but why did she feel a pang of disappointment beginning to form in the pit of her stomach? Shaking her head, she quickly brushed off the feeling.

Dropping her bag on the well-made bed, she thought this over. She didn't have a change of clothes and it was going to be tough sleeping in her power suit, but that was something she had to figure out later on. For now, she needed a shower and somehow she was thankful that the outlaw wasn't there.

So she peacefully took her clothes off and after laying them on the bed, she made her way towards the bathroom and stepped into the shower, hoping that the warm water would wash away the ache in her lower back and legs. And it really did, the water was helping as she set the temperature to a scalding one and leaned her head against the bathroom wall, closing her eyes and enjoying the feeling. She was finally alone; not in the way that she expected but alone nonetheless and her plans for tonight were to go over her paperwork one more time before going to sleep early. She just hoped to God that thief wouldn't annoy her so she could end the night on a peaceful and quiet note.

As the warm water washed away her troubles, she heard a sound of someone opening the door and closing it behind them. She snapped her eyes open. Was he back so soon?

Quickly turning off the faucet, she stepped out of the shower, droplets of water spilling everywhere from her body and making their way to the floor as her eyes searched for the towel.

Oh no.

Oh my God.

The towels were in a drawer next to the bed.

Her eyes grew wide at the realization as she quickly searched for something to cover herself with, anything. Mentally cursing herself for leaving her clothes on the bed, she thought over her options but only one came to her mind. With a weak and desperate voice, she found herself calling over to Robin.

"Robin?"

"Yeah?" came the outlaw's voice from the other end of the bathroom door, oblivious to her problem.

"Would you mind fetching a towel for me?"

"Get it yourself." He yelled back at her and she groaned in frustration.

"I can't." she found herself replying quietly.

There was a pause before he spoke.

"What do you mean, Regina? Are you okay?" his voice came from a much closer range now. She guessed he probably stood up and walked towards the door. She just hoped the God that he wouldn't open-

"Regina?" and he forced the door open. But she acted faster and pushed the door right back and closed it again before he got a chance to see her body covered with nothing. Water was still dripping off of her and to be honest, she was starting to get cold.

"No, don't!" she quickly said.

"Why, what's wrong? Tell me you're okay!" his voice sounded worried and it caused her to pause momentarily before she spoke.

"I'm fine. I just need a towel."

"Why?"

"Look at the bed, you idiot!"

Following her instructions, Robin's curious eyes turned to the bed with a blank expression but when he saw the clothes carefully spread out on the mattress, his lips curved into a smirk.

"Oh…." He spoke with realization from the other end of the door.

"Yes, so if you don't mind." She said, waiting for him to hand her the much expected towel but from what she could hear, he was just standing there and not moving towards the drawers.

"So the queen needs me, huh?"

"I don't need _you,_ I need a towel." She bit back with frustration.

"Say the magic word."

"Now!"

"I'm sorry, that's not the magic word." With the he turned around, walking back to the bed with a huge grin on his face. He was going to torture her until she begged for mercy. So maybe their stay in this hideous hotel wasn't going to be so boring after all.

"I will kill you, thief!" Regina yelled from the bathroom and her fist came into contact with the hard surface of the door and she winced in pain. Was he really doing this to her?

"Still not the magic word!"

She sighed and took a moment to calm herself as she quietly counted to ten. She needed to relax and not decapitate him. Yes, his son needed him alive. _You're not going to murder him, Regina _she said to herself, _get a hold of yourself._ So she breathed in and when she opened her eyes, she was ready to do what he wanted just to get out of the cold.

"Please?" she found herself saying with a hushed tone.

Instantly, Robin walked back to the bathroom door and spoke.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you?"

"I said you are a bastard!"

"You're not getting that towel. Bye."

"No wait!" Regina quickly said, stopping him on his tracks. "Please?"

"Please what?"

"Please you insufferable thief!"

"That's not my name." Robin was enjoying this far too much and he could hear her taking deep breaths to calm herself. He just hoped that she wouldn't try to kill him in his sleep later during the night.

"Please, Robin." His name rolled off her tongue coated with sarcasm but it didn't stop his lips from breaking into a huge smile as he walked to the drawers and grabbed a towel big enough for her to cover her body.

When he cracked the door open, she let him, but much to her surprise, he didn't open the door all the way. So the thief was a gentleman after all. She raised her hand and moved it past the doorway, reaching for the towel the outlaw was offering.

For Robin, it was a challenge not to peek inside. He knew Regina needed her privacy but he couldn't help but to wonder what she looked like behind the wooden door that separated them. He watched her arm reach for the towel and take it from his hands, still wet from the shower as his eyes accidentally caught a sight of her exposed neck. Her dark brown hair was in a high bun in order not to get her hair wet as the couple of locks that escaped the knot were exposed to the water and now were sticking to her long slender neck. He even caught a sight of her face, wearing a thankful expression and his breath got caught in her throat upon seeing her in such a natural state. But before his eyes could drink in her beauty, she shut the door again and he was left with his mouth hanging open.

Get yourself together, he thought to himself and pried his eyes away from the wooden surface as he walked to towards the other end of the room with a sigh.

He just hoped that the bug problem would be fixed soon because he didn't know how much longer he could stay all alone with the woman who made his breath hitch since the first day they had met.

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**Let me know how you'd like to see this story progress and to the readers of my other story Awkward First Meetings, I will be continuing that also..**

**Thanks for reading! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Jordan you're a doll, I love you**

**OMG MIDTERMS!**

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Outside, the weather was getting dark. Regina was lying on the bed, her back against the headboard and head buried in stacks of paperwork she had brought back to the hotel with her. True, she really had to work, but she was focused on the papers on her lap partially because she didn't want to deal with the insufferable man that was sitting right next to her on the bed. Even though she had insisted that he go sit someplace else, he had countered by saying that there was nowhere else to sit and he wanted to watch TV, and she had let him, but only because he was sleeping on the floor that night and she thought she'd at least give him the pleasure of watching TV from the bed.

And now, his eyes were glued to the screen, because after all there wasn't any technology neither in the Enchanted Forest or the tent he was living in now in Storybrooke. And of course like a classic male, he had found some sort of sports program and he was also leaning against the headboard with his legs spread out in front of him, crossed at the ankle.

Regina found herself reading the same sentence over and over again. She was used to working alone in her office so having the thief sitting right next to her, just inches away from her body was not helping her with her concentration. From the corner of her eye, she watched him; with his eyes not leaving the screen even once, he even refused to blink! How could he be so into that thing while she sat there, unable to focus just because of him? The thought irritated her just like he did. So prying her eyes off the stack of papers sitting on her lap, she leaned her head back, against the head board and closed her eyes.

If she can't work then she wasn't letting him have his fun either.

So she grabbed her papers and set them down on her bedside table. Turning her head towards him, she watched him with expectant eyes. When he didn't react and kept on watching TV, she cleared her throat.

Still no response.

She cleared her throat even louder, coughing a bit in the process.

Nothing.

Letting out a loud sigh, she suddenly raised her right hand and hit him on the arm.

"Ow!" he suddenly exclaimed, snapping out of his trance, his other hand coming to rub the spot on his arm where she had hit him. "What was that for?"

"Get up."

"What? Why?"

"I want to sleep." She said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Then sleep." With that, his attention was turned to the screen once more, getting lost in that stupid sport program that Regina did not care about.

Upon seeing him turn his attention back to the TV, she hit him once more.

"Hey!"

"I said get up!"

"Why?!"

"Because I am going to sleep and I don't want you on the bed." She replied, slowly this time just so he could understand.

"I will go in a second, just let me watch this first."

And once more, he was turned away from her, eyes glued to the screen. Regina groaned in frustration but then her eyes caught the remote that was resting right next to his thigh. A wicked idea popped into her head and wanting to annoy the thief further, she launched for the remote, having every intention to turn off the TV. But of course to her luck, he was faster.

Thanks to his reflexes, perfected by living in a forest for all those years, Robin guessed what she was going to do even before she made a move towards it. So grabbing the small remote before she did, he instantly pulled it away from her with irritating smirk on his face and Regina had no choice but to pull away, eyeing him.

"Give that to me." She gritted between her teeth.

"No."

"I'm warning you, thief." She spat out, eyes not leaving his, not even once.

"If you want it that much then come and get it, your majesty." He replied, eyes filled with mischief as he raised the remote even higher, away from her grasp.

She looked at him daringly. That thief had the courage to disobey her? She was going to show him.

With one swift move she launched at him one more time, but this time managing to climb on top of him even though there was a considerable strength gap between them, and she reached for the remote one more time. Her legs straddling him, she fought for the control over the tiny device and for a while he just let her do it, enjoying her determination in the process. But he was a lot stronger than her and when he had enough of it, he tossed the remote aside and grabbed her by the waist. His big hands encircling her hips, he turned them over so quickly that she wouldn't be able to counter and he landed on top of her, his hips in between her legs.

Regina froze on the spot, unable to move or speak as the outlaw's body trapped her between him and the soft mattress. With her mouth hanging open, she had no choice but to stare at his blue orbs, as she breathed heavily. What was going on? The last she remembered, she was trying to annoy the thief. How come they had ended up with him on top of her and his hips rubbing against her ever so softly that made her feel a pleasant ache down her stomach. Her hands came to rest on his shoulders but she didn't have any control over her actions. She felt hypnotized.

Robin also froze, not having come to the realization that his actions would cause this much close proximity. He didn't know which one was the most surprising, the fact that he was still alive and not burnt to a crisp or her legs spread apart so he could settle comfortably between them.

He, too, also looked down at her and when their eyes met, he felt a shiver going down his spine and electricity jolting through his veins. He had to pull back, he knew he had to pull back but why did this feel so right? _No, Robin, listen, get off of_ _her_ his brain yelled at him but his body refused to listen.

As long as he kept staring at her deep smoky brown eyes, he realized he wasn't going to be able to move. So forcing his will, he closed his eyes and took a moment to calm his breathing. _Get off of her!_

So he managed to listen to his brain and slowly sit up, and slid back away from her just so he wasn't in between her legs. His body instantly missed the contact but he shook the thought away. He watched Regina do the same, also sitting up and leaning her back against the head board, arms coming to rest in front of her, on her legs in a defensive position. He cursed himself.

Tension filled the air as both of them stayed silent and looked at anywhere besides each other and thankfully Robin broke the silence.

"I'll… I'll just get myself on the floor then." He said, stuttering slightly.

"Yes, okay." She replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

With that, he quickly lifted himself off the bed and started to search the wardrobe for a spare blanket, pillow, anything. As a matter of fact, he was just trying to distract himself from the intense moment that had just shared, trying to keep his hands busy. Because if he hadn't, those hands were going to be all over her and they couldn't have that.

As for Regina, she only sat there, unable to move. The TV was long forgotten and she didn't dare to reach for the remote, which was now lying on the floor, and turn it off. Because if she did, there was going to be silence again and that was the last thing she wanted.

"I couldn't find an extra pillow, can I have one from the bed?"

"Huh?" his sudden question had caught her off guard.

"Can I have one of your pillows?"

"No."

"But there is no-"

"Not my problem." She interrupted him, her lips curving into a sly smile. This was good. The tension was fading away and they were slowly getting back to their old bickering selves.

Groaning, he grabbed the only blanket he could find in the wardrobe, it was an old and dirty one, and crossed the room. Laying the blanket down on the floor, he started unbuttoning his shirt.

"What are you doing?" Regina suddenly asked, her eyes following his every move.

"Going to sleep. That is what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Yes, but not like that."

He halted his movements and watched her with raised eyebrows.

"Well then how would you like me to sleep, your majesty?" he asked sarcastically.

"Fully clothed."

"I'm just taking off my shirt." with that he continued with the unbuttoning.

His smirk grew into a big grin when the last button was undone and he took off his shirt, leaving him with only a wife beater which put his toned arms up for display. Regina's gaze instantly switched to the exposed flesh as her eyes roamed over his body.

But after a couple of seconds, she caught herself on the act and quickly averted her gaze unaware of Robin's smirk. Mumbling something incoherent, she quickly excused herself and disappeared into the bathroom.

_Get a hold of yourself, _Regina scolded herself the moment she closed the door behind her and leaned against it with a deep sigh. It was nothing. As a matter of fact, she had learned her lesson; never play games with the outlaw. There was just a little excess tension that was all. After a couple of days she would be back in her apartment and never have to see his face again, she just had to get through those couple of days ahead of her.

She took a couple of steps forward to face the mirror that was attached to the bathroom wall over the sink. The first thing she noticed was how tired she looked. She still hadn't gotten her much needed sleep and deep purple circles were beginning to form around her eyes and her smudged make up wasn't really helping. She ran her hands through her dark locks and wiped off the extra make up that had pooled around her eyes with her fingers. There wasn't much she could do about it, but it was better than nothing. She looked down to her clothes, still wearing her pants suit with a white blouse and a dark grey blazer.

She had no pajamas. And no extra change of clothes.

She took off her jacket first then her pants. She looked at her pure white blouse but deciding on not to get it dirty since she was going to be wearing it the next day, she took that off also.

She looked at herself in the mirror one more time but this time, she gasped. She had completely forgotten the fact that in a hurry that morning, after leaving the shower, she had grabbed the first underwear she could find, thinking that no one was going to see it anyway and now she was standing in the bathroom just a few feet away from the thief with only a wooden door separating them, clad only in a pink underwear and bra decorated with red hearts.

The last thing she wanted was to leave the privacy of the bathroom wearing _that _underwear.

Well maybe, the thief doesn't have to see it.

She walked over to the door and cracked it open as quiet as she can and peeked inside. He was nowhere to be seen, presumably already asleep on the floor at the other side of the bed. Good. He wasn't going to see anything.

And tomorrow she could always wake up earlier than him, go to the bathroom and put her clothes back on, skillfully avoid his mocking.

She liked that idea and at the moment, it was her only choice.

So opening the door even further, she stepped into the room and made her way towards bed. She hurriedly sat down on the bed and slipped under the covers, making sure the thief stayed oblivious of her current choice of underwear.

She succeeded.

She was safe.

She was-

"Nice undergarments."

Damn.

"Fit for a queen." He continued and she could hear him chuckle lightly between his sentences.

She lifted her head and leaned over to the side of the bed to see him indeed laying down on the floor with that dirty old blanket spread over him.

"Shut up."

"As you wish."

He did. He stopped talking but she could still hear him laughing silently to himself. Groaning to herself she put her head back on the pillow and buried herself in the covers.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to go to sleep. But she wasn't even remotely tired, even though her legs and back still ached, her eyes hurt from staring at the computer for too long, her brain was still active and her stomach was doing jumping jacks in her stomach.

_Okay. Sleep. Now._

After an hour, she was still wide awake and tired of staring at the ceiling. Turning to her side, she glanced at the clock.

1.18 am.

Great, even if she went to sleep now, she was going to end up waking up late the next day. She turned to her other side and shut her eyes once more, trying to go to sleep but her attempts were interrupted when she heard him speak from the floor.

"I can't sleep with all the tossing and turning."

"Too bad." She spit back and turned her side as loudly as she could.

After a beat of silence, he spoke again.

"Why can't you sleep?"

"I don't know."

"Tell me." This time his voice came out more serious.

Regina contemplated it. She had no intention of opening up to the outlaw, never did, but the way he shaped his question was that of worry, not curiosity. She liked that. And maybe she wanted to give up.

"It's Henry." She found herself saying without actually thinking long about it.

"Isn't he with Emma?"

"Yes…"

"That means he's not with you." He concluded after a pause.

When Regina kept her silence, he spoke again.

"Do you miss him?"

"Do you miss Roland?"

"He's just one floor away but yes, I do."

Robin sighed and turned to his side, the hard floor hurting his back. He winced in pain and waited for Regina to speak but she never did. From her breathing he could still tell that she was awake and stressed.

"You know what? Before I came here, to Storybrooke, Baelfire, well Neal, came to me and asked me to help him get his son back. And to do that, I put Roland at great risk. What I'm trying to say is that I see what you're doing for Henry and the lengths that you can go to just for him and I admire it. And to be honest, the only time I see you smile is when you're with him." He finished with a chuckle, waiting for her reaction.

He relaxed when he heard her laugh slightly.

"Henry used to cry all the time when I first got him, couldn't get used to me. And I couldn't bond with him, couldn't form a connection that a mother and son would." She confessed quietly and Robin was surprised to hear her speak. But he listened intently, also staring at the ceiling.

"Then what did you do?"

"I asked him to give me a chance."

Raising his head, Robin supported himself on his elbows on the floor, the hard wood hurting his skin, and tried to see Regina's face. When he did, she also turned her head towards him. When the two made eye contact Robin's breath got caught in her throat and Regina felt captivated by him. Even though they were in the dark, she could still see his blue eyes, the moonlight coming from the window making them shine.

"You're a great mother, Regina."

"Thank you." And she smiled at him.

It was the first smile she had given him directly and he cherished every moment of it; he memorized how her lips curl, how the side of her mouth wrinkled and how her eyes shined with hope even just for a second, but while he watched her intensely, she quickly averted her gaze and he lost the contact.

"I still hate you."

"I know." He replied with a smirk playing his lips.

After that, they didn't speak again until the morning and Regina finally fell into a deep sleep.

Hours later Robin was awaken and left his dreamland, which was much better than the real world, when he tried to turn in his sleep and a wave of sharp pain hit him on his back. Wincing in pain, he instantly opened his eyes and when he tried to move he realized it wasn't just his back, it was everywhere; a little souvenir from sleeping on the floor. Yes he was used to sleeping on the ground, spending many nights in his tent had taught him the habit but in his tent there were more blankets and the ground he was sleeping on was much softer. But this? This was hardwood floor and it didn't do much good to his body.

He opened his eyes and saw the sun streaming through the windows; a sign of a new day starting. Raising his hand, he rubbed the sleep off his eyes and tried to sit up.

Wrong move.

Another wave of pain shot through his body and he groaned in agony. But no, sleeping in and waiting for the pain to be over wasn't going to do him any good and he guessed Roland was already downstairs by now, looking for his father. So he tried one more time and this time he succeeded but when he was on his feet, the pain was much worse and he could barely walk.

Turning around, his eyes looked for the brunette he had shared the room with and when he spotted her, he gasped in surprise.

Regina was still asleep, her arms were spread on the bed in a distraught state. But she was no longer curled up in her blanket, no, she had discarded the said blanket during the night and it was now only covering her lower body and legs. Her bra clad body was still visible to him and Robin couldn't help but to roam his eyes over the swell of her breasts, the curve of her waist and her toned abdomen.

To be honest, she had the sexiest body he had ever seen in a woman.

Her lips were slightly parted and she was breathing slowly, indicating that she was in deep sleep. But among all that, what made Robin's lips curve into a smile was her pink bra with red hearts on it. It gave her a touch of cuteness that he was finding very heart to resist.

But Robin knew he had to quit staring and wake her up.

"Oh your majesty, time to rise and shine!" he half yelled in a sarcastic tone and with one swift move, opened the blinds that was covering the window.

When the sunshine hit Regina's face and Robin yelled even louder, she slowly fluttered her eyes open. For a few seconds, she couldn't remember what was happening and closed her eyes again. With her voice still groggy from sleep, she spoke.

"What time is it?"

"Nine."

"Am or Pm?"

"What do you think?"

She opened her eyes once more and when she witnessed the bright sunlight streaming in from the windows, her eyes widened in surprise and she quickly sat up.

"I'm late!"

"To what? You're the mayor." Robin replied, picking up his clothes in the meanwhile.

Ignoring him, she quickly picked up her clothes, not even bothering to hide her half naked state from the man standing at the other end of the room; she quickly went into bathroom and closed the door behind her with a loud bam.

Half an hour later, they were both descending from the stairs with Regina quickly making her way to the diner and Robin following behind her and groaning with each step. She noticed the pain she was in but didn't dare to address it, knowing that it was her fault for making him sleep on the floor. She would take care of that later but now, she had other business to take care of.

Once she entered Granny's diner and headed for the door, she was stopped by a voice which belonged to none other than a certain blonde.

"Where are you going?" Emma asked, getting up from her seat.

"Oh Miss Swan there you are, I need to go back to my house."

"No!" the other woman practically yelled and Regina was startled by her sudden outburst.

"Excuse me?"

"You can't. There are bugs everywhere."

"I'm not going permanently; I just need to get a change of clothes."

"You can't even do that." Emma responded, her eyes searching for the diner. When she spotted Mary Margaret, she indicated for her to come closer.

When Mary Margaret reached the two women standing by the doorway, she quickly joined the conversation.

"Regina's going back to her house?"

"Yes, I am."

"No, she's not."

Regina and Emma spoke at the same time and they stared at each other.

"Miss Swan!"

"There are huge bugs there, Regina."

"Huge!" Mary Margaret said, backing up her friend. Just then Henry appeared out of nowhere and stood right next Emma, also wearing a worried expression.

"And spiders." He said.

"And cockroaches."

"I heard that they can fly."

"Enough!" Regina stopped the group before they can utter another word. "I need clothes and I need them now."

"I can get some for you!" the blonde volunteered quickly.

Regina eyed the group before her. Something suspicious was going on.

"I can't go into my house but you can?"

"I don't want you to get your hands dirty." Emma's response was quick which made Regina even more suspicious. From the corner of her eye, she watched Robin hugging his son and chatting with Little John but she quickly turned her gaze away from them. She wasn't going to let the thief distract her again.

"Fine."

With that she turned around but when she was about to open the door, she was interrupted one more time.

"Where are you going now?!" Henry said.

"To work. Besides, what are you doing here? Don't you have school?"

"It's Saturday."

She had forgotten which day it was. And it was outlaw's fault. Everything was the outlaw's fault.

"Oh…"

"Why would you want to go to work, its Saturday. You can stay here in the diner, or go to the woods maybe. Ow!" Henry's excited speech was interrupted when Emma put his arms around the boy and squeezed his shoulders a bit too tightly.

"I am going to my office to work. Or is that forbidden also?" Regina sighed and without giving them a second glance, headed out the door. Everyone was acting weird today.

Once Regina was no longer in their range, Emma quickly turned towards the boy.

"What are you doing? You almost ruined Operation Hedgehog!"

"I was just trying to keep her here!"

"Well that is getting harder." Mary Margaret spoke. "She is getting suspicious. They both are."

With that, their eyes turned to watch Robin who was interrogating Will Scarlet at the other end of the diner.

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**Guys I got so many positive reviews for this story and I want to thank everyone who read, reviewed, favorited and followed this story. **  
**I just hope the following chapters will live up to your expectations.**


	3. Chapter 3

**A reader, Lola, pointed out that I accidentally referred to MM as Emma's friend. Sorry about that, my bad.**  
**And as for why Regina hasn't been using her magic, that will be explained.**

**Anyways sorry for the late update/mistakes.**  
**Late update is caused by the midterms and mistakes are because I can't reach my beta.**

**JORDAN I HOPE YOU'RE ALIVE AND WELL**  
**Seriously tho I'm worried..**

**You wanted to see more of Operation Hedgehog and Outlaw Queen banter? Well here it is!**

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Emma's yellow bug pulled over to 108 Mifflin Street and when she stopped the car, she took a long look at the big white house that belonged to Madame Mayor. The whole place looked like a prison and Emma hated the idea, it intimidated her. She did not like Regina's style at all. But her thoughts were interrupted when the woman beside her spoke.

"I can't go in there, there are bugs." Ruby said with a clearly disgusted look on her face.

"There are no bugs, now get out of the car."

With that the blonde left the car and was glad to see Ruby following right behind. When she reached the steps and began searching for a spare key, the redhead whined again.

"No bugs?"

"No, that's a lie we told Regina." She said, crouching so she would get a look under the mat.

"But why?"

"Because of Robin." Emma replied, not really paying attention to the conversation she was having with the redhead. When her fingers touched the metal surface of the spare key that was hiding under the doormat, she let out a loud 'Aha!'.

"They look cute together." Ruby said with a dreamy look on her face.

"That they do." With that, she turned the key in the lock and opened the door with a satisfied smirk on her face. Now she could do what she came here for. Turning her head towards the other woman, Emma spoke.

"Follow me."

Five minutes later, both women were in Regina's bedroom and going through her wardrobe. The room was so clean and in order just like Regina and Emma found herself frowning at that. How can someone be so in control? Sighing, Emma turned her attention back to the wardrobe but after minutes of fruitless attempts, she turned to the redhead who was seated on the bed and busying herself with looking around the room all the while twirling her hair.

"Alright Ruby, do your magic."

"And what would that be?"

"I want you to find the most revealing clothes in Regina's closet." Emma said with a grin and she crossed the room, eyes searching for a duffel bag she could use.

"That's impossible; Regina doesn't have clothes like that."

"That's your problem now." With that, Emma left the room to look for some kind of a bag.

After finding the said duffle back tucked away somewhere in the guest room and making a stop on her way to Henry's room to get some books for her son, Emma finally made her way back to Regina's room, curious to see what Ruby had come up with.

When she entered the room, Ruby had laid out majority of Regina's clothes on the bed and was staring at them with a confused look on her face.

"What do you have so far?" the blonde asked, moving further into the room and coming to stand right next to the other woman.

"I found dozens of blazers, jackets, pantsuits and dresses. Not to mention the amount of high heels that-

"Yeah yeah, you found something relevant?"

Ruby pointed at the edge of the bed.

"Most of her underwear are either black, white or grey which is very dull if you ask me. I may have found some red push-ups though."

"Great!" Emma said excitedly and began stuffing the duffel bag with every piece of red and lace clothing she could find.

"There are some nice nightgowns but none of them revealing enough. Lots of lace, and I found a couple of thongs which was very unexpected, let me tell you. At least two bras colored pink which is super weird… And I found a vibrator."

With that the redhead pulled out a white colored and ordinary shaped vibrator from her back and showed it to Emma with a huge grin on her face.

"Oh my God, put that back!"

Ruby pouted but followed the blonde's advice, placing it back to the drawer.

"These are good…" Emma said, turning her attention back to Regina's closet that was laid out on the bed as she stuffed the bag with the clothes Ruby had chosen. "But still not enough."

"It's Regina we're talking about. She always dresses like she's joining a monastery."

"Not when she wants to."

"And she usually doesn't want to. She has this thing, the whole professional attire of a business woman that I don't understand."

Emma let out a sigh.

"She needs more clothes."

"Well then her closet is not going to be much more of a help."

"What do you suggest?"

With that a wicked grin appeared on the red head's lips as she spoke with her eyes flashing with mischief.

"My closet."

Turning to Ruby, Emma also flashed a big smile as her mind was flooded with the things they could do with Ruby's clothes.

"You take care of that, I need to make a few calls."

Regina was finally alone. After that insufferable night, she was finally in the privacy of her office and alone, all by herself. No one to talk to. All alone.

But she liked it, of course she did. She had been dreaming about some peace and calm since the minute she had left that dreadful office yesterday. And the outlaw distracted her, he didn't entertain her nor did he provide her some company, a difference from the lonely nights she had spent all alone in her house. Yes, the only thing that the thief caused was distraction and lack of motivation which was the last thing she needed right now.

No, she did not need to be staring at the page she had been trying to read for the past hour. She had to get to work and not think about _him,_ or the remaining nights she was going to spend with _him_.

Okay, city funds. Yes, important business. Risk management and infrastructure. She needed to pay a little bit more attention. _Stop thinking about him!_

"Regina?"

She shot her eyes closed upon hearing that voice and when she opened them again and lifted her head to look at her intruder, she saw none other than the said thief standing at the entrance of her office, looking around with curious eyes.

"What are you doing here?"

"Emma called, told me to get here. She said it was important." He spoke, taking a step into the office.

"Emma called, huh? Why am I not surprised?" she sighed more to herself.

But Robin wasn't listening. He was busy walking around the room and observing.

"So this is where you work?"

"Yes." She responded, quick and short. He would probably leave in a minute; it was nothing to be concerned about. And she should just ignore how her heart started beating faster the moment he showed his face in her office. It was nothing, absolutely nothing.

Whereas Robin had no intention to leave. He had come here to meet Emma, over an important matter that she had mentioned over the phone hurriedly but the moment he had stepped into the confines of Regina's office, his mind had completely forgotten about Emma and now he was observing his surroundings, noting every single detail in Regina's habitat.

The place was bigger, bigger than he would have guessed and it was decorated just to Regina's liking. Black, grey and white tones surrounded the office and he found himself especially interested in the area that hosted the fireplace.

Before Regina can do something about it, Robin sat himself down on the couch with a clear amazement clouding his features.

"Wow, this is huge. Do you know how many homeless people can live here?"

"I don't want to know." She replied without taking her eyes off the stack of papers in front of her. But then she realized he had no intention of leaving.

"What are you still doing here?" she asked suddenly, raising her head to look at the thief who was making himself rather comfortable on her couch.

"Waiting for Emma."

"Well news to you, she's probably not coming."

"And why is that?"

"Because she's an idiot." Regina closed the subject, not wanting give away any information about how Emma was probably doing something behind their backs. She was going to interrogate her later, and she did not need Robin's presence for that.

Alright, where had she put the budget reports?

Determined to ignore the thief, she sat up and crossed the room, heading for the drawers she kept right below her mirror that was hanging against the wall.

While she shuffled through the drawers for the much needed documents, Robin stood up and walked over to her desk. So this was where she practically spent her life. He looked at the papers and the laptop that was placed on her desk but deciding that it didn't interest him, he sat down on the rolling chair.

Upon sitting down, he was struck with a realization that the chair actually moved and with excitement, he spun around.

That was something he hadn't experienced before.

He spun around again, again and after the third time he started to feel dizzy and decided to stop having decided that this world's advantages were only enjoyable if you knew where to stop. Once again, his attention was directed to the desk.

A phone. He recognized that. Without thinking twice, his hands reached for it and picked up the receiver.

"Mayor Locksley." He spoke to the phone, pretending to answer it like Regina probably would.

"Mister Mayor Locksley." He said, this time altering his voice so it came out much deeper. Coughing and clearing his throat, he tried again.

"Mayor Robin Locksley. The Mayor. Mayor of Storybrooke. The King Mayor-"

"What the hell are you doing?" Regina's voice came from the other end of the room.

"Being you. Now all I need is a tight fitting dress." he replied with a smirk.

Regina let out a sigh and walked over to her desk, coming to stand right next to him.

"Would you like to leave for yourself or do you want _me _to throw you out?"

"Are those my only options?"

"There's always the third option; me decapitating you." She said with a fake smile.

"Kinky." He said, raising his eyebrows. "The name suits me though; maybe I should run for mayor next year."

"You don't understand politics."

"And you don't understand what labor is but here you are."

"Go away."

"Make me.

Groaning, Regina crossed her arms in front of her and stared down at the thief who was still occupying her chair and staring back at her with another annoying smile plastered on his face.

"What will it take for you to leave?"

He leaned back to the chair with a smirk and eyed her.

"Let me think about it."

"Make it quick. You haven't got all day."

"No but I've got all night considering that we now stay together." He said and leaned back further to the chair, both of his feet coming up to rest on Regina's desk.

"That's not called staying together; I'm just stuck with you for the time being." She replied and leaned down to swat his feet away.

"I want a favor."

"What?"

"Don't know yet. You'll just owe me."

"This is a mistake but fine…" she answered with a sigh, not really wanting to look into his eyes, she opted on staring out the window with a nonchalant expression. But in reality she was both worried and excited. For now she just needed him to get out, and that was why she had probably agreed to the stupid idea of her owing him.

Now, he had leverage.

"Great, I will see you tonight." With that he kept his promise and stood up, finally letting Regina regain the control back of her chair as he left the room feeling very self-satisfied.

When Regina sat back on the chair which was occupied by him just moments ago, she let out a sigh and put her head between her hands.

This was a bad idea. But why did it excite her?

Robin spent the rest of the day with his son, away from a certain brunette that invaded his thoughts. Picking up Roland, as the boy kept telling him about how fun it had been to spend the whole night with Uncle Will, Robin was smart enough to sneak him out of the hotel and take him to the woods, assuring him that they were going to spend the day as father and son and if he was good, he might even teach him archery. Roland had jumped to the opportunity and that's how Robin was able to get him out of the hotel without Will Scarlet or Little John noticing what he was up to.

Once they were in the depths of the woods and Robin was done looking around, he stopped, eyed his son who was sitting quietly on one of the logs he had found and let out a deep sigh.

Just like he guessed.

There weren't any bugs. Well there weren't any bugs… more than usual.

"I knew it…" he murmured to himself but it didn't keep Roland from answering him.

"What papa?"

"Nothing, my boy." He smiled at him and went over to his son to pick him up.

"Tell me, why did you stay with Uncle Will last night?"

"He's funny and he tells me stories!" Roland exclaimed wearing a big smile but seconds later it turned into a pout. "And he said you were busy."

"Busy with what?"

"Girl things." Roland shrugged.

"Is that what he told you?"

Roland nodded innocently as he wrapped his arms around Robin. After rubbing his son's back reassuringly, he spoke again.

"Do you think you can stay with Uncle Will one more night?" he asked, smiling.

"Can I?" and Roland's smile was back on his lips again.

"Of course you can!"

With that he yelled excitedly one more time before announcing his boredom and his will to get back to the hotel. But before they left the forest, Robin made sure that their visit to the woods was going to be kept a secret between him and his son, telling him that it was a little game, and was glad to see his son nod excitedly.

It was getting dark when Robin made his way to the hotel room he shared with Regina. He had spent the whole evening having dinner with his son and occasionally eyeing Will Scarlet who in turn either averted his gaze or opted on flirting with Ruby. But his blush every time his eyes made contact with Robin's did not go unnoticed.

So after dropping his son to him, he went back to the hotel room not having seen Regina in the diner. He had seen Henry with Emma but the absence of the brunette peeked his interest as he subtly watched the entrance to the Granny's just to see when she'd be back. But he hadn't seen her and it was getting late. His best bet was that sometime when he wasn't looking, she had made her way into the diner and quietly went up to their room.

Yes, that was probably it because it was almost 8 pm and she still wasn't there. Robin half-heartedly hoped to find her peacefully resting on the bed but when he finally reached their room and opened the door, he was surprised to see that she was absent.

It was probably nothing, he tried to assure himself. She was probably working late or got caught up in work.

The silence in the room was eerie but trying to ignore it as best as he could, he laid down on the bed and turned on the TV. He was going to kill time until she arrived, yes that was his intention. As he decided on a channel and stared blankly at the screen he let his mind wander around. But what if she wasn't at work? Who would still be working at 8 pm? Or maybe she was doing it on purpose to avoid him. The thought created a pang of disappointment in his stomach but he ignored the feeling. If she wanted to ignore him, so be it. He wasn't anticipating for her company either.

But what if it wasn't work? What if something had happened? After the second curse, there were still people who hated her in town so maybe it wasn't her fault that she wasn't here. Thinking of all the possibilities made Robin sat up slightly on the bed as he eyed the clock. 8.30 pm. She was still not there.

Grabbing the remote, he turned the volume down as his ears listened to every sound he could hear coming from the hallway, secretly hoping to hear the trademark sound her heels made. But that sound never came.

No, no he was being stupid. She was a grown woman, she could definitely handle herself. She had handled herself for all these years, she didn't need him. He forced himself to relax on the bed and turned up the volume as his eyes scanned the colorful images on the TV. Yes, boxing. That was good. Boxing.

Suddenly an image of Leroy or some other habitant of the town who disliked her, hitting Regina and rendering her unconscious flooded his mind as he suddenly sat up again. Or maybe she wasn't unconscious. Even worse, maybe she was awake during the whole thing, screaming in agony, yelling for help as her attacker dragged her to someplace where Robin can't trace. Robin's eyes widened at the thought.

No, no, no, she was just working. There wasn't anything wrong. It was his mind playing tricks on him.

Another image of Regina being tied to a chair as she cried in pain invaded his mind.

No! Stop thinking!

But no matter how hard he tried to get the images out of his mind, he couldn't help his eyes turning towards the clock one more time. 9pm. She still wasn't there.

No one would work that late. Was she like that with Henry? Robin didn't think so. She was a responsible woman and never would have left her son unattended for the whole evening. Considering that, the thought of Regina was being in trouble came to his mind one more time and this time instead of pushing it away, he embraced it. If she really was in trouble, sitting here and worrying wasn't doing her any good. Maybe he should go out and search for her?

No, sit back down, she doesn't need you.

What if she does?

He gazed back at the clock one more time. 9.15 pm.

Okay, that was it. He sat up and looked for his keys. He was going to look for her. The thought of someone doing any harm to Regina angered him as he felt his veins fill with adrenalin.

He wasn't going to let anyone hurt her.

Spotting his keys, he quickly grabbed them and furiously headed for the door. Whoever did this to Regina was going to regret ever touching her. As he opened the door sharply, and took a stepped out, he almost collided with someone.

When he looked up, brown met blue and his breath hitched.

"Regina?"

Regina, who was searching for the key to their room in her handbag, looked up to see the very thief she had been trying to avoid with a very furious expression on his face. Keeping her calm and frankly not knowing what it was about, she spoke.

"What?"

"You're… here?"

"Of course, where else would I be?" with that she pushed him aside and entered the room.

Closing his mouth which was hanging open by the sight of her, he also stepped into the room, following her and closed the door right behind them but his movements was much slower compared to Regina's who was frantically emptying the contents of her bag to the nightstand without giving him a single look.

Robin let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

She was here. She was okay. She was alive.

His eyes focused on her as he took her in. What if she hadn't been here? What if something had happened to her? But none of it mattered now as Robin's expression softened upon the sight of her reading a document she had just taken out of her bag, oblivious to the mini heart attack he had just been through. Relief washed over him as he leaned against the door and kept watching her.

Regina knew the thief was watching her but she tried to keep her attention on the paperwork she had spent the day worrying over as she tried to ignore the nervous feeling that was settling in her stomach. She tried clearing her throat or turning her attention from one document to another in the hopes of snapping him out of his trance but it didn't help. She could still feel his eyes on her, burning her skin. Not being able to take it any longer, she turned to him and spoke.

"What's wrong with you?"

Robin snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing the sudden outburst of the brunette.

"I… uhm, nothing." He stuttered and Regina didn't believe a word of it.

"You look… worried." She observed, eyeing him up and down.

"I'm not." His answer was too quick.

With that, her lips curved into a smile as she took a step towards him as mischief flashed her eyes.

"Were you worried about me?" she asked and gave him a sarcastic pout. She grinned wider when she watched him avert his gaze as a blush crept up to his cheeks.

"Of course not, why would I be worried about you?"

"Because it's late and I was out."

"That's none of my business."

"Indeed it's not." With that her tone changed into a more serious one as she took a step back and felt her walls closing around her once more, the playfulness in their conversation was gone.

As for Robin, he was just glad to have escaped the conversation as he slowly made his way to the bathroom.

"By the way, Emma dropped that off for you." He pointed at the duffel back that was sitting right next to bed on the floor.

Her clothes. Thank God.

"I'm going to take a shower. Don't wait up."

"Of course I won't."

With that he disappeared into the bathroom and Regina was left alone in the room. She instantly reached for the bag and opened in, hoping to find some clothes to wear instead of the one that she had been trying to survive in for the past two days and much to her dismay they were starting to stink. Reaching for the zipper, she opened the bag but her movements halted upon seeing its contents.

Everything, every single piece of clothing was either in red or black, covered in lace or see through. Her breath hitched as one of her hands reached for a red push up bra. Eyeing the garment in her hand, she turned her attention back to the bag as she dig in deeper only to see satin nightgowns short enough to pass for a shirt, lace underwear, thongs, and some lingerie which she was sure that it didn't belong to her.

The majority of the contents were just underwear, and said lingerie which she was sure at this point belonged to Ruby, she desperately hoped for some decent clothes to wear and her hands frantically searched the bag. She let out a relieved sigh upon a seeing a couple of dresses which were placed carefully on the bottom, tight and short dresses but some business attire in the least. She also spotted a couple of high heels.

That was it; she was going to kill Emma.

If Regina hadn't doubted the blonde's intentions, she was sure of them now. She looked at her watch. It was late, besides there was no point in visiting her now. What's done was done and she had no choice but to wait until the morning.

But she knew one thing, Emma was going to pay.

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**Let me know what you think**


	4. Chapter 4

Cold, that's what he needed.

When Robin reached for the faucet, instead of hot water, he chose cold and stood under the water, motionless as frozen droplets hit his skin and sent a shiver down his spine. He tried to welcome the feeling, anything to distract him from the wave of emotions he had just been through.

Regina was okay.

Aside from the amount of relief he had felt, he also thought about something else. Why did he even care? What was it to him the well-being of The Evil Queen that everyone hated? Yes, there were times when he thought she was absolutely adorable, and sometimes cute, sexy, beautiful of course and there were times he realized she was human just like he was but that didn't mean anything. That didn't justify his concern for her. Besides he knew that if she were to find out about his worries over her, she wouldn't be pleased.

Closing his eyes, he leaned his head against the cold tiles and let the cold water wash away his uneasiness. The voices in his head all screamed one thing, stay away from her. And they were right, he had no business with that woman nor he should have. Not that he didn't want to, it was just not his place. Yes they might have been in the same town but he had survived years in the Enchanted Forest without seeing her face and he knew he could do it again no matter how small Storybrooke was. Yes, after this hotel room nonsense, he was going to part ways with her for good.

Regina did not need a thief like him in her life.

Sighing to himself, he turned the faucet off and stepped out of the shower. As he reached for the towel to cover himself, he mentally prepared himself for another night of sleeping on the floor, the pain from last night still there. Wrapping the towel around his waist, he opened the bathroom door and stepped out but when he saw Regina standing there, his previous thoughts shattered into million pieces.

She had gasped when he opened the door so suddenly, catching her off guard and she had turned to him. Now she was standing there, in front of him, wearing a nightgown that didn't leave anything for the imagination.

The cream colored material barely reached past her hips and his hungry gaze instantly went to her toned legs, he couldn't help himself as his eyes roamed over her body and forced himself to look back up. But once again he was struck by her body when he saw her cleavage was covered only with lace. Feeling like he had just been burned, he instantly closed his eyes and swallowed hard. When he opened his eyes, he met her gaze and she gave him a sheepish smile.

"It was the only decent thing I could find." Regina said, having the need to explain herself.

That woman was going to be the death of him.

He didn't say anything; he couldn't and forced himself to nod as he averted his eyes from her body because he knew if he looked at her any longer, he wasn't going to be able to help himself.

When he turned his attention away from her body, Regina felt a pang of disappointment in her stomach. Yes, he had caught her off guard by walking in so suddenly and her plans of hiding under the covers to avoid his eyes had been shattered but when he stood there, in front of her as he took her in, she realized she didn't mind the attention at all. On the contrary, she liked it. She had been feeling a lot lately, she was a mother, a queen, a mayor, a friend but it had been a long time since she last felt like a woman and that's what the thief made her feel like. She had forgotten the feeling, the feeling of being desired and it became aflame once more as he looked at her like he never did before. Instead of hiding away from him, she found herself arching her back and pushing her breasts up for display ever so subtly and unconsciously as she enjoyed every second of the attention he gave her.

So when he averted his gaze, the feeling left her body and she was left with emptiness. She wanted to take a step forward, wanted to call his name just so his blue eyes could meet her brown ones once more but she didn't. The words she had been aching to say never left her mouth.

Look at me.

He didn't. He turned away and crossed the room and Regina let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. It was like she was snapping out of a trance when he was out of her sight. What was wrong with her?

Without uttering another word, she turned around and walked over to the bed. Not wanting to waste another minute, she quickly got under the covers and lay down, making sure to face away from the thief. She didn't know if it was because she didn't want to face him or she didn't have any power to.

Forcing her eyes shot, she tried to distract herself away from the outlaw who was probably trying to get himself comfortable on the floor, but she opened her eyes when she heard a groan coming from him.

Trying to ignore it, she closed her eyes one more time but he, once again, let out another grunt and her eyes snapped open. Turning in bed, she raised her head slightly to watch him trying to get comfortable on the floor but failing miserably because he was already in pain from the night before. Her features softened upon seeing the half-naked man, now clad only in his boxer shorts, trying to go to sleep on the floor before her.

She was going to regret this.

"Oh for God's sake, come to bed." She let out without thinking.

The outlaw's movements froze on the spot as he turned his face to look at her.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"I don't think I did."

Regina sighed loudly. Really? He was doing this now?

"You're in pain."

"Since when do you care?"

"Since you're one of the people protecting this town and I want you to function." She said, glad that she couldn't see his eyes in the dark.

"So this is not for me, this is for the town?"

"Of course."

He nodded before standing up but when he did,he didn't move as he looked down at her on the bed.

"You are absolutely sure?"

"Get in before I change my mind."

He didn't need to be told twice as he quickly made his way to the other end of the bed and sat down. When he got under the covers, Regina felt warmth spread through her but she tried to ignore it, just like any other feeling she felt towards that man.

"Touch me and you're a dead man." She spoke with a harsh tone and instantly turned away from him, glad that the covers were hiding how her nightgown was hiked up to her waist and her black lace underwear was visible.

"I wouldn't dream of it."

Smiling to herself, making sure that he didn't see it, she closed her eyes and tried to get some sleep, knowing it was impossible with him right beside her. But turns out, his presence didn't alert her, on the contrary it relaxed her and soon she fell into a dreamless sleep.

It started with a mild discomfort. It didn't even wake her; she just tossed and turned in her sleep. But then it turned into much more and she woke up when her body started trembling and shivering. It was cold; more than usual.

Cracking one eye open, she tried to see what was going on. The covers barely reached her hips and the first thing she noticed was her nightie was hiked up almost to her chest. Of course, why wasn't she surprised, that thing didn't even pass for a nightgown. She would have been covered better if she went to sleep just with her underwear only. Then, her eyes turned to the window and she was surprised to see it open all the way. Finding the source of the cold, she turned to the outlaw, her eyes closing in protest but she forced them open as she glared at him.

He was lying half naked next to her, arms spread and the covers barely covered him from the waist up. It was a shame she was too tired and sleepy to take in the sight before her. Without thinking twice, she spoke.

"You opened the window?" she asked, her voice still hoarse.

"Mmmh.. yeah.." he murmured, still asleep.

"It's cold."

"It's hot." He groaned in protest, refusing to open his eyes.

"Well I am cold." She replied.

"Close it then." He said and turned to her, still half asleep.

She let out a sigh and desperately tried to get up. She was too tired, her eyes refusing to keep open as she dangled her feet from the bed and forced herself to stand up. Once she did, she stumbled towards the window and managed to close it right after another wave of cold air hit her and she shivered.

Making her way to the bed, she got under the covers once more but when she turned to Robin, she was surprised to find him awake. Sleepy but awake.

"You okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah, just cold." She replied and she didn't know why instead of spitting out a sarcastic comment, she chose to be honest.

Ignoring her previous warning about touching, he allowed his hand to reach forward and slightly brush his fingers to her arm. Another shiver went down her spine when she felt his fingers on her.

"Regina, you're freezing." He noted and she could hear the concern in his voice.

"I know, genius."

Without a second thought he extended one arm towards her but careful not to touch her this time. He spoke with his voice barely above a whisper.

"Come here."

"What? No way." She replied, her eyes wide.

"Stop being so stubborn, this is for your own good." Robin sighed as he touched her arm gently.

"What? Snuggling is for my own good?"

"It'll keep you warm."

"I'd rather freeze death."

"Really? You would rather die than cuddle with me?"

"Yes." She replied breathlessly.

"Regina, come on."

"How is this going to help my case?"

"It will help you sleep faster and we both know how cranky you get when you wake up late in the morning."

She let out a breath as she eyed him carefully. He was lying next to her wearing a soft smile on his face as one of his hands were still extended towards her, welcoming into his warm embrace. One move and she would be in his arms. The thought made her stomach turn in excitement. But she didn't have time to think it over, she was either going to accept his offer or not and lying there, looking at him with a blank expression on her face wasn't helping. Closing her eyes, she gave it a last second to think it through. It was just for one night and if it was going to help her sleep faster, then why not?

Sighing to herself, she did something she never would have imagined doing before and slid closer to him, her body coming together with his as she instantly felt his arms close around her to pull her even closer to himself.

Regina's hand instinctively went to rest on his forearm as she kept her other hand buried in his chest. Her body seemed to know what it was doing, acting like this was where she belonged but her mind was still trying to get used to the sensation of being in his warm embrace. Her breath hitched when he brought one of his hands to her lower back as he rubbed slow circles on her waist and she didn't dare look into his eyes. Because if she did, the magic would be gone and she would turn her gaze away in embarrassment.

On the other hand, the thief was right. He really did keep her warm and she found herself snuggling deeper into his chest, and instantly cursed herself for enjoying the feeling. But who could blame her? Having been away from human contact for so long, she cherished his every single touch no matter how rare it was so she took her time to memorize the soothing pattern he traced on her back and the soft breaths he took, reassuring her that he was alive, lying next to her and holding her.

Of course she was never going to admit this to him; admit that she liked his touch and the fact that her body strangely craved it.

When she shifted against him, her nightgown hiked further up her waist and her torso came into contact with his bare one, and she let out another loud sigh which sounded like a soft moan escaping between her lips. Freezing for a moment, curious to know if he had heard it or not, she waited for his reaction and was surprised to feel his heart beat a little bit faster in his chest as the pressure of his hand on her waist increased and she found herself pressed even closer to him.

Regina let out another content sigh and Robin closed his eyes as he felt her bury her head deeper in his chest. When he had offered to keep her warm for the night, this was far from what he had been expecting. No, he had waited for her to either say no or keep the interaction as cold as possible because after all she was a queen and she was known for her cold demeanor. But no, the last thing he expected was their bodies clinging to each other like there was no tomorrow as none of them dared to speak.

Now holding her in his arms felt more than natural and for the first time he wasn't afraid to touch her or pull her closer. No, this time she was allowing him to touch her and he'd be damned if he was going to sleep at all. He was going to spend the whole night savoring the feel of having her in his arms because he knew this wasn't going to happen a second time. She would never let it.

With the warmth provided by the thief, Regina didn't need any covers as she felt herself slowly drifting off to sleep and just as she was about to surrender herself to a peaceful slumber, she felt him drop the lightest of kisses on her brow, the ghost of his lips calming her as Robin also felt himself slowly dozing off, no matter how much he resisted.

The next morning, Regina slowly stirred in her sleep as her eyes fluttered open to see the sun shining through the window. It was too beautiful of a morning and getting up would be the worst thing she could do so closing her eyes, she let herself enjoy the last few remaining moments of her sleep. As she stirred a bit more in a haze, she felt two strong arms around her waist and they tightened, pressing her back deeper to his chest. Smiling in her sleep, she allowed herself to enjoy the feeling as one of her hands came to rest on his hand on her stomach as she interlocked her fingers with his. His grip on her waist only tightened as Robin also slowly started waking up to a beautiful woman lying in his arms. Without a second thought, he leaned in and dropped a soft kiss on the side of her neck, earning a slight moan from her as she rubbed her back to him.

Regina was living heaven on earth as she let out a content sigh and turned in his embrace, facing him, eyes still closed. His hands came to rest on her hip, on the waistband of her underwear as a couple of his fingers stroked the exposed skin thanks to the short nightgown. They were only inches apart, able to feel each other's breath as Regina smiled softly and slowly began to open her eyes.

Feeling her sigh and turn towards him in his embrace, Robin also opened his eyes, catching a sight of the brown eyes which were also now facing him. For a few seconds they watched each other lazily, both unaware of the situation given their still half asleep state.

Robin saw the faintest of smiles appear on Regina's lips and a sudden thought of kissing it away crossed his mind. Wait a minute. Kissing Regina?

Regina blinked once, twice, three times before realizing who she was actually sleeping next to.

Oh my God.

Both their eyes shot open and upon realizing what was going on, they instantly jumped away from each other, settling on either side of the bed.

What?!

Regina quickly pulled the covers as she desperately hide her practically half naked body from him as Robin sat up and eyed the brunette with a shocked expression on his face. Both stayed silent, afraid to say anything until Robin decided to rescue them from the situation they were in which was slowly turning awkward.

"I uhm… good morning." He spoke, stuttering a bit.

"Good morning." She replied but unlike him, her voice came out barely above a whisper.

She wasn't paying attention to him, no, she was mentally cursing herself. She had been such an idiot, first telling him to stay away from her and jumping into his arms the minute the opportunity came. Tightening the covers that were now covering her cleavage, she mentally scolded herself for her inconsistency towards the man. No matter how much she announced her dislike towards him, she found herself inching near him more and more and this damned hotel room was not helping her situation.

"I should go and uhm… take a shower." He suddenly said, snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Okay." She managed to whisper, doing everything in her power to avoid his eyes.

As for Robin, he knew he needed to get up, he needed to move, he needed to do something that wasn't sitting there and staring at her. Was that really what happened? Was she lying in his arms and snuggling closer to him just now? Was she really giving him the softest and prettiest smile he had ever seen?

"You're still here." Suddenly he heard her mutter.

"Right." With that, he forced himself to get up and walk towards the bathroom, leaving Regina alone who upon seeing him disappear behind closed door, started searching for something decent to wear and hopefully leave the room before he was done showering, to avoid another awkward encounter.

When Emma stepped out of the bathroom of Granny's, hoping to get back to her son who was waiting for her in one of the booths to continue their breakfast together, she suddenly felt someone grab her arm and pull her into the shadows. When her back hit the wall, she let out a yelp but was quickly silenced by a set of brown eyes staring right into her soul.

"Regina?"

"Don't you think I don't know what you're doing?" the brunette spoke, voice filled with venom.

"What am I doing?" _Oh shit, shit, shit._

"There is no bug problem, you're just trying to force us stay in the same hotel room!" Regina practically yelled.

"What? Me? Regina please, as if I'd ever do something like that…"

"Yes, you would."

"Maybe but that doesn't mean that I did."

"Of course you did Emma, who else?" she questioned but when the blonde stayed silent and averted her gaze, Regina stepped forward, trapping her between her body and the wall.

Emma eyed her and tried to step aside and escape from her but Regina stepped aside also, blocking her exit. Sighing, the blonde leaned back against the wall.

"I wasn't working alone."

"Who else?"

Emma once again stayed silent.

"I said who else?" Regina's voice came out much harsher.

"Henry, Mary Margaret, Ruby, Will, Little John, Granny and-"

"The whole town knows about this?!"

"Technically not the whole town." The blonde tried reasoning with her but Regina would have none of it.

"Give me one reason not to incinerate you right now." She spoke and a shiver went down Emma's spine.

"Because we were right."

"About what?"

"You can't even last two days in the same room with Robin."

"Excuse me?" Regina raised an eyebrow.

"There's so much sexual tension between you two, you can't last even two days being in the same room with him before either one of you panic and run away." Emma finally said.

"There is no sexual tension." Regina replied but her voice came out softer than she had intended to.

"Of course there is."

"No, there's not."

"Then prove it."

"How?"

Lifting herself from the wall, Emma inched closer to the brunette.

"Stay one week in that room with him."

Regina's breath hitched in her throat as she took a step back, eyeing the blonde. She raised her eyebrows before scoffing and turning away from her, intending to walk away.

"Of course not…"

"So I was right. You like him."

With that, Regina turned on her heel to face the blonde.

"I don't!"

"Prove it! Keep staying in that room and if you guys are not making out by the end of the week, you win."

"Just one week?"

"That's all I'm asking."

Regina thought about it over and over again. She did not like the outlaw and she wanted to be away from him as much as possible. But by doing that, if she was convincing the whole town that she had feelings for the thief, then that raised a problem. She had to prove herself; she had to prove her distaste for him. So when a grin appeared on her lips and she nodded ever so subtly, Emma couldn't believe what she saw.

"Really?" the blonde asked, making sure that Regina was really falling for their backup plan.

"You got yourself a deal."

"You can't run away from this Regina or you can't just use magic to puff yourself out of a situation you don't want to be in." Emma warned with a serious tone.

Magic.

Regina froze on the spot. She had magic all this time and yet she had never once thought about using it when she was with him. She could have been out of the room or wearing decent clothes all this time and yet her mind had eliminated the possibility. Those were the times she hated her subconscious the most. She had accidentally chosen to be with him, not forced, and she just hoped to God the thief didn't notice it.

"Fine." She replied sharply, not really paying attention to the fact that she was indeed agreeing to this dreadful plan.

With that she turned away from her and headed for the diner, determined to prove herself right and stay away from the outlaw as much as possible.

Meanwhile Emma smirked to herself as she lifted herself off from the wall and followed the brunette but except leaving the diner like she did, the blonde spotted Henry, sitting at one of the booths, waiting and she approached him, sliding right opposite from him in the booth.

"Were you just talking to mom? Is she on to us?" the boy asked, dropping his fork in a worry as he eyed her with a concerned look.

"She was but now our plan is back on track."

"Really? She's not leaving the hotel?"

"She is not going anywhere, kid. Things are just getting started."

* * *

**Now excuse me while I cry over Cruella**


	5. Chapter 5

**A big thank you to my beta Jordan for practically pouring her soul into this because Microsoft Word wasn't cooperating with us..**

**Now enjoy some Dimples Queen :)**

* * *

Will Scarlet was in the clear. Will Scarlet was happy. Will Scarlet did not want to be disturbed.

After spending the past two days hiding from Robin whenever he came down from his room, and running away as quickly as he could whenever he wanted to spend time with his son and left Roland wondering where did Uncle Will go, Will deserved a break.

It was all Emma's fault, and he knew it. She got him into this stupid plan, Operation Hedgehog they called it, an idiotic idea to get Robin and the Queen together, and with Will trying to stay out both of their sights, he wasn't going to be much of a help. But he had still agreed to help anyway, just for Roland's sake since they needed someone to keep an eye on the little one. This was supposed to be it. His whole job was to take care of the little boy and keep him entertained, which was something Will actually liked doing.

But Robin was getting suspicious of their little plan and the worst thing was, it was Will Robin planned to get mad at, he just knew it. So whenever the archer came even within a mile to Will's whereabouts, he would try to find a place to hide and wait till the storm was over.

Today was one of those days. With Roland sitting on Little John's lap right across from him in the booth, Will was busy looking around just to see if Robin was in the diner today. Roland desperately called his name to get his attention but all Will did was to give him a smile as he turned back to scanning the diner again.

"Uncle Will! Will you take me to the park today?" the boy tried for the umpteenth time that day.

"Yeah sure…." Will replied, not even looking at him as he heard Little John assuring him that he would, in the distance.

"But I want Uncle Will." Roland let out a cry.

"Aha…" said under his breath as his eyes spotted Ruby and the outfit she had chosen for today and he got distracted from his objective.

"Papa!"

Will froze on the spot as he quickly averted his gaze from the redhead and quickly looked at the back door because he knew if Robin was in the diner, he would be coming out of his room, thus from the back door. But his eyes failed to spot the archer as he frantically searched for him. If Robin really was here, he needed to bounce.

"Where?!" he asked Roland but he was interrupted when he felt a hand on his shoulder and he jumped in surprise.

"Here." Robin said, coming to stand right next to where Will sat.

"Bloody hell!" Will managed to utter. He was too late. He was caught. And Robin knew it as he eyed the younger man carefully with a not so pleasant expression.

"Papa, Uncle Will is taking me to the park!" Roland exclaimed and upon hearing his son's voice, Robin's features softened again.

"How about Little John takes you this time, my boy. Uncle Will and I have some business to attend to." With that his eyes were on Will's once again who in turn swallowed hard and averted his gaze.

"Can majesty come too?"

Upon hearing her name, Robin turned to his son one more time with an apologetic smile.

"Not today." He said and his heart broke when he saw the sad look Roland gave him in return. He might not be on good terms with Regina but surprisingly his son was, and he would always ask about her whenever he got the chance.

Roland pouted but nodded slightly as Little John quickly picked the boy up and carried him out of the diner, knowing what was to come. Robin was angry and no one wanted to be around him when he was pissed off.

When the pair was gone, Will felt himself growing even more nervous as he heard Robin speak again, his hand still on his shoulder.

"Will, a word?"

"A wha'?"

"A word. You. Me. Now."

Will felt his heart starting to beat faster as his breathing became ragged. The older man's grip on his shoulder was getting tighter and he felt his skin burn under his touch.

Suddenly, the young thief jumped and tried to run away but unfortunately Robin was a lot stronger than him and he held onto Will's collar as the material crumbled under his fist and he pushed him back down on his seat without uttering a single word.

Will was scared, really scared.

As Robin let go of his shoulder, he moved away and sat down opposite from him, his blue eyes not leaving his brown ones even for a second. But before he got a chance to speak, they were interrupted by a certain red head.

"What can I get you guys?" Ruby spoke with a cheery voice, coming to stand beside their table.

"Just a coffin for Will, thank you." Robin replied, eyes piercing the young man's soul.

"I'll come back later then." The waitress said and she quickly scurried away.

There was silence first as Robin kept on staring at him and refused to talk. He knew how to make Will even more nervous and he was succeeding as the young thief looked around and desperately tried to make up a reason to run away, but deep down he knew it was impossible. He was doomed to suffer in the hands of the archer. With Robin still looking at him, Will dared to speak, the silence getting on his nerves.

"Look mate, I can explain-"

"How long has this been going on?" Robin finally spoke with a harsh tone.

"How long has what been goin' on?"

"Will!"

"Since day one!" Will quickly confessed as he tried to protect himself from the older man's wrath.

"So there haven't been any bugs? Pesticides? Anything?"

"No…" he replied, looking down, afraid to meet his eyes.

Robin let out a sigh, he knew it. He just knew it.

"Does Regina know about this?"

Will shrugged in return.

"I told them it was a stupid idea, I tried to get them to stop but they didn't listen-"

"Enough!" Robin interrupted one more time.

"You know wha'? I get you, mate. I really do. If I was stuck in a bloody room with a woman I love, not the Evil Queen of course, a bit scary for my taste, I'd be pissed too I mean you've go' every right to be mad."

"Excuse me? The woman I what?"

"And her majesty's, she's just… a lot of work you know so I feel ya, mate."

"She's what?"

"But of course when you think about it she is a tad pretty. Like… when you think about her _that_ way I mean… she is actually quite beautiful-"

Will was interrupted when Robin slammed his fist on the table to get his attention.

"Bloody hell!"

"Shut up." He said with a threatening voice.

"Alright alright! I don't get you, first you want me to talk then you want me to shut up, how does the queen put up with you?"

Robin let out a sigh as Will kept talking in the distance. Was this what everyone else thought about him? That he had feelings for Regina? He suddenly became mortified by the thought; he did not feel anything besides dislike for that woman. Wanting to clarify the situation, he spoke.

"I don't love that woman, I don't even like her!" he practically yelled.

"Oh…" Will took a look around before winking. "Is someone here, listening? Do we need to be discreet? I can whisper if ya want?"

"No, we're not hiding anything. That is the truth. I don't like Regina."

"Right…." The young man replied, not convinced.

"Will, I'm serious!"

"Of course you are…"

"What do I need to do to prove it to you?"

And that was the sentence Will had been hoping to hear.

"Don't leave that room!" he suddenly said, leaving the outlaw confused.

"What?"

"Keep staying in that room with her. If you don't like her like you said, then it shouldn't be a problem. But if you do…"

"I don't!" he answered, his answer too quick for his liking.

"Well then you wouldn't mind staying in Granny's a bit longer." Will grinned.

"Of course not…" Robin was being manipulated and his feelings for Regina were clouding his judgment, making it impossible for him to tell that he was actually being played.

"Great then!"

With that, Will gave him the biggest smile Robin had ever seen and walked out of the door to find Roland and Little John. Emma was going to be pleased when she heard the news. Oh yeah, Will was a genius.

"Wait!" Robin exclaimed, half running to catch up with him. "I'm not leaving my son in your hands, not for today at least."

Both men smiled at each other and headed for the park to find Roland and Little John.

"The rabbit is in the hole!"

"What?"

That was the first sentence Emma heard when she picked up the phone and now she was staring at it with confusion.

"The eagle's in the nest?" came Henry's voice over the receiver and Emma once again eyed the device in her hand with suspicion.

"Henry, what are you talking about?"

"God…" Henry let out a sigh. "Roland and Robin are at the park."

"Oh.. Oh!" Emma suddenly said, coming to the realization of what he was actually implying.

"You should get mom!"

"I'm on it, kid." With that the blonde hung up the phone and headed for her yellow bug, determined to find the mayor.

The sun was blinding and when Robin looked up to watch the sky, he couldn't spot a single cloud. The weather was exceptionally good, unusual for the early days of spring. After having his little talk with Will, Robin had come to the park and met his son there, having every intention to enjoy his day with him. Now he was relaxing on one of the benches that was placed right next to the park and he was watching his son on the swing, yelling happily to Little John.

"Come play, papa!" the kid yelled, drunk with joy.

"In a while, my boy."

Right now Robin only wanted to watch his son cry with laughter as he relaxed on the bench and enjoyed the beautiful day. But as soon as he closed his eyes, his thoughts drifted back to a certain brunette, how her eyes shined earlier that morning in the sunlight that illuminated their room, or how her brown locks cascaded down her shoulder. Regina.

Oh God.

He opened his eyes in horror. No, he wasn't supposed to be thinking about her! He was supposed to be thinking about the beautiful day, the sun, his son's laughter, the forest, the trees, her smile, the leaves, her body, the birds, the nightgown she was wearing last night, the way she rubbed her back against him…

No!

Closing his eyes, he forced the thought away from his mind. She was a lot more distracting than he had imagined. But his attempts at not thinking about her were interrupted by a voice… her voice.

"I said I'm coming, let go of my sleeve!"

"Hurry up!"

When Robin's eyes shot open and he turned towards the source of the voice, he saw none other than the woman he was thinking about accompanied by the blonde sheriff. Frowning, he paid closer attention to them as Emma practically dragged Regina into the park and she tried to catch up as best as she could with her heels.

"Well?"

"Well what?" Emma asked, acting innocent.

"Where's the fire?"

"What fire?"

"Miss Swan, don't play games with me. You came to my office saying there was a fire in the playground and even though the fact that you called me instead of the fire department is curious, I don't see a fire anywhere." Regina concluded, eyeing the blonde.

"Yes well, I must be mistaken."

"This is stupid, I'm going back to my office." But before she got a chance to turn around and head back to the car, a voice stopped her.

"Majesty!"

When Regina looked at the playground, she saw a little boy, Roland, running towards her with open arms. The nonsense with the sheriff was quickly forgotten as she turned to the little boy and crouched slightly, her frown turning into a fully blown smile as Roland ran up to her with a grin. Wrapping her arms around the boy as soon as he reached her, Regina picked him up.

"Roland?"

"Papa said you were too busy to play with me." The boy spoke with a pout.

"Papa?"

"Yeah, look!" with that Roland turned his attention to Robin and pointed at him sitting on the bench who in return gave them a wave and a sheepish smile.

"Figures…" she muttered under her breath.

"Can you play with me now?" the boy asked excitedly and even though Regina had every intention to go back to her office and avoid Emma, her thoughts quickly dissolved as Roland looked at her with hopeful eyes.

"I… well…"

"Please!"

"Of course…" she said with defeat and when she turned to give Emma a threatening look, she realized the blonde was long gone, leaving her alone with the family. Twice she had fallen for her plan, first the clothes and now this, and Regina swore under her breath to be careful next time.

"You go ahead, I need to speak to your father first, okay?"

Roland nodded and ran off to Little John as soon as Regina put him down, and she turned towards Robin who was giving her a stare in return with a smile playing on his lips. With a sigh, she walked towards him.

"Fancy seeing you here." He greeted her, not bothering to get up, instead expecting her to sit.

"I wish I could say the same." She replied, sitting down right next to him, a bit closer than she had intended and now the side of her leg was slightly brushing his thigh and it was making her breath hitch.

"So what brings you here in the middle of your very busy day?" his words were coated with sarcasm but she ignored it.

"Emma told me the playground collapsed and it was on fire." She answered him, only now realizing how stupid it sounded when she said it out loud.

Robin chuckled and the sound made her heart leap.

"Well I hope you're glad to see that I'm alive and well."

"Extremely." She replied sarcastically and couldn't help but to give him a smile, the awkwardness of the early morning long forgotten.

"You do realize they're trying to bring us together, right?" the outlaw suddenly spoke and it made her turn and stare at him with a shocked expression. He knew too?

"I figured it out before you did." She quickly said and added. "But of course that's not gonna happen." She cleared her throat and averted her gaze.

"Of course not." He replied nervously, his eyes also avoiding her as he opted for staring at his son having fun on the playground.

"They also think that uhm.. that we…"

"Have feelings for each other." He completed her sentence. The air was slick with tension as they both tried to get through the awkward conversation they knew they were supposed to have.

"Which is not true." Regina quickly clarified, watching his reaction from the corner of her eye.

"Absolutely not." He said and she could feel a pang of disappointment forming in the pit of her stomach.

"And we need to prove that."

"Yes, we do."

"We need to prove that no matter how long we stay in the same room-

"Nothing will ever happen between us."

"Right." She said and eyed him carefully.

"That shouldn't be too hard, considering that I don't like you." He quickly defended himself. The playfulness in his voice was back and this time he wasn't afraid to meet her gaze.

"The feeling's mutual, thief." She spat back at him.

"Yes you make the very clear every time you see my face." He muttered.

"Every time I see your face you're either being an idiot or checking me out."

"I never check you out!" his eyes grew wide at her remark and somehow he felt like he got caught stealing a cookie from the jar.

"And now you're lying to my face." She turned to him even more and her knee brushed his leg.

"Okay fine maybe I did check you out, once. I'm a man."

"Once?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Maybe twice."

"I haven't forgotten about last night."

"You were wearing lingerie!"

"It was a nightgown!"

"Do you actually believe that?" he countered.

"How about this morning?" she crossed her arms in front of her as she eyed him carefully.

"I wasn't checking you out this morning."

"No but your hands were."

"That must have been your hands holding me close."

"It was cold!"

"It was hot!"

"Guys!" with that, they both turned to look at Will Scarlet who was standing there with a hand on his hip. "Are you done flirting? Roland is asking for you."

"We weren't-"

"Yes, he's done." Regina interrupted him and stood up, the close proximity making her nervous.

Giving him one last lingering look which made his heart stop beating for a few seconds, she turned away from him and headed for the little boy who had been anticipating her arrival for the past hour. Shaking his head, Robin also stood up, following her as he watched his son run up to her and jump into her arms for the second time that day.

"Can we play a game?" he heard him ask.

"Of course we can." Regina replied. Didn't she have work to do, Robin thought to himself, not that he had any problems with her staying. It just seemed odd that she was free for his son but she just happened to be busy whenever they were alone.

"What do you wanna play?"

"Hide and seek!"

Regina raised her eyebrows and gave Will a questioning look who in return shrugged and smirked at her.

"Sure."

"We will hide and Papa will find us." The boy explained, now squirming in her arms, asking to be put down so he could run to his father.

"Why am I always the one who does the seeking?" Robin complained, walking over to them.

"You're too big, you can't hide." Roland replied, knowingly.

"Alright, I'll be over there counting." With that he walked over to the slides and covered his eyes with his hand.

"You're looking!" he heard his son whine from behind him.

"I'm not!"

"You are!"

Smiling, he closed his eyes with both hands, making sure his son was content as he started counting loudly. He heard snickering in the background and some footsteps but seconds later they vanished and when he got to ten, he dropped his hands and opened his eyes. Turning around, he realized the playground which was occupied just by them was now empty and there was an eerie silence in the air.

Taking a step forward, his eyes searched the area. Roland was a kid and he was small, he could have been anywhere. He decided to go for the easy part as he took a couple of steps towards the bushes, which seemed like they had a dark figure behind them. Squinting his eyes, he took a couple of more steps and let out a smile when his eyes spotted something shiny; her belt buckle.

Grinning to himself, Robin made sure he was very quiet, hoping to catch her off guard as he stealthily walked towards the bushes, his eyes searching the ground for any dried leaves in hopes to avoid stepping on one and alert her of his presence.

One more step later, he was there. Taking a deep breath, he suddenly parted the bushes that were covering her and was glad to see her standing there, with a shocked expression on her face, probably wondering how he found her so fast. When their eyes met, she tried to make a run for it but being faster than she was, he reached for her arm, having every intention to stop her. She pulled her arm in the last minute, and his hands grabbed her coat as she let out a yelp and held on to his arm, toppling them both to the ground with him landing on top of her.

His first thought was getting off of her, remembering what had it been like the last time they were in a position like this, but when he looked down, instead of distress, he saw happiness in her eyes as she let out a cry mixed with laughter and tried to crawl away from him. Seeing her expression only brought a smile to his face as he held on to her, stopping her from escaping.

Letting out another laugh, she held onto his upper arms and tried to push herself away from him on the ground but with him hovering over her, it was impossible.

"Where do you think you're going?" he said, one hand on her waist as he supported himself on the elbow with the other.

"Stop! Robin, stop!" she tried to make her voice sound threatening but she found it a bit of a challenge to do that while laughing.

But upon hearing her cry beneath him, Robin halted all his movements as he looked deep into her eyes, the playfulness in him was replaced with something much more serious.

"What?" she asked, her loud giggles were gone but she still managed to crack him a soft smile.

"Say what you said again."

"Stop?" she chuckled.

"No, my name." his voice came out breathless now and it intimidated her, forced her to meet his gaze.

"Robin." She said softly and she could tell the effect it had on him. He closed his eyes for a second, cherishing the feeling and loving how his name sounded coming from her lips before opening his eyes again and gazing into her brown ones. For the first time, he wasn't a thief or an outlaw to her, he was simply Robin.

But before he got a chance to ask her again, they suddenly heard Roland yell with excitement as Robin felt a weight on his shoulders, knocking him over to the ground next to Regina. When he looked up, he saw his son jumping up and down on the grass next to them as he looked at the two adults lying down and defeated, with accomplishment.

"I won!" the boy yelled and Regina found herself chucking.

With one quick move, Robin sat up and grabbed Roland by his torso and brought him down on the ground with him, eliciting a loud cry from the boy as he supported himself on his knees and started tickling his son.

Roland laughed, his voice coming out breathlessly.

"Papa! No!" he cried out one more time as his arms reached to Regina for help.

"Regina help!"

The call for help distracted Robin from tickling his son to oblivion and the moment he caught him off guard, Roland slipped from his arms and crawled over to Regina who was now sitting up also and watching the events unfold before her as the boy hid behind her, using her as a shield from his father.

"Come here!" Robin addressed his son, the minute he realized that he escaped as he looked at Regina with threatening yet playful eyes.

"Oh no, I'm not getting in between this." With that, she turned around and grabbed Roland who yelled in protest as they both stood up.

"Besides, it's getting late." She was right. Robin looked up to see the sky starting to darken.

"But Regina I wanna play!" Roland yelled in her arms.

"No Roland, she's right. It's getting late. Let's get you back to the hotel."

Nodding to him, she glared at Roland in her arms who was giving her the most adorable pout but she was too experienced with Henry to fall for it. Smiling at his desperate attempts to stay, she shook her head and headed towards the direction of Granny's, glad to see Robin following right behind.

She noticed his hand, resting slightly on the small of her back, gently guiding her but she suppressed the urge to call him on it as she found herself enjoying the feeling.

Hours later in the playground, long after they were gone, Will Scarlet emerged from behind the benches as his eyes searched the empty playground, curious as to why no one had come to find him yet.

"Guys?"

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**Let me know what you think**


	6. Chapter 6

**If you wanna pretend like canon never happened, here read this!**

**And to the Guest 1324 thank you so so much for your awesome review, and thanks a lot for the warning about the layout, I will follow your advice!  
Thank you for all the reviews really, they make my day a thousand time better (especially after the last episode)**

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Robin was amazed, absolutely amazed.

Regina had been carrying Roland since they left the park and as he observed her with his son still in her arms, he dared not to interrupt. If it was him, Roland would be throwing fits, asking to be put down, insisting that he was a big boy now, he could walk on his own but with Regina, he was different. He seemed content being carried by her as the pair walked in front of Robin, not even turning to give him a glance as they excitedly talked about today's events. Trying to catch up to them, he observed his son giggling about something Regina said as she also talked to him like she didn't have a single worry in the world.

Reaching the diner, they made their ways in and past the restaurant where they reached the little lobby. Robin watched Regina and Roland climb the stairs, still way too engaged in their conversation to even check and see if Robin was following them. He could hear his son telling Regina how fun today had been and how glad he was that she came as she let out a loud feminine chuckle that Robin adored so much and proceeded to answer him with kind words, assuring him that they may even get to do it again some other time as the boy yelled in joy. Robin smiled at them as but Regina was oblivious to it as she opened the door to their room and carried the boy in without hesitation.

Following right suit, Robin closed the door behind them as he watched her put his son down.

"Now, bath time." She said, her voice carrying a maternal tone that he got to witness very rarely.

Roland whined at her words, yelling no. Then, Regina turned to Robin, acknowledging his presence for the first time since they left the playground as her eyes called for help. Roland's clothes were stained with grass and dirty and Regina was right, Robin thought, the boy indeed needed a bath. He cursed himself for not thinking it sooner.

"I'm afraid Regina's right my boy, you stink."

"I don't!" Roland tried to argue but he knew he had already lost the game.

Smirking at the two, Regina ushered Roland to the bathroom and began removing his clothes as the boy kept on babbling about how he hated showers.

Robin walked towards them and came to stop at the entrance of the bathroom, observing. It was all he could do since Regina had showed up that day and he just couldn't keep his eyes away from her and how good she was with his son. She was a natural, and he guessed she missed taking caring of a child since Henry was all grown up now. He could see the longing in her eyes every time she was with him or the sadness in her features every time Henry chose to leave with Emma instead of her. She thought no one saw her, quickly changing her posture as she acted like she wasn't affected by it but Robin could tell that she was, and it pained him to see her like that. So now, watching her interact with his son in the most natural, motherly way, he felt warmth spread through him as he didn't even dare to blink, not wanting to miss a second of it.

After removing his clothes, she drew him a bath, the smile she had been wearing since they arrived in the room never leaving her lips and urged the boy to step into the bathtub, holding him, careful that he wouldn't slip. Robin watched her whisper reassuring words to his son, how taking baths would help him get clean and no one likes dirty boys as he couldn't help but to chuckle. He hadn't felt anything more natural and normal than this, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed in front of him as he watched Regina take care of his son. She really was a vision and when she turned to him, his breath got caught in his throat. The yellow light illuminating the bathroom did wonders to her brown eyes as he watched, without blinking, her mimics and gestures.

She was beautiful when she looked at him like that, or when she raised her eyebrows questioningly… or when she called his name repeatedly… yelling…

"Robin!"

"Huh?!"

"What are you staring at?"

Her voice snapped him out of his daydream as he realized he indeed had been staring at her like he was in a trance for the past minute.

"Nothing." He lied.

"Towels?"

"Hmm?"

"I asked you if you could hand me some towels? Like a dozen times?"

"Ah… of course."

He was an idiot. He was Roland's father and yet she was a thousand times more responsible than he was, Robin thought as he shuffled through the drawers for towels. If only he could stop staring and took care of his son…

When he found what she was asking for, he walked over to her and handed her the towels, their fingers brushing slightly during the exchange and she muttered a soft thank you which left Robin staring at her lips until they were interrupted by his son who was sitting peacefully in the bathtub, playing with water.

"Regina go! I wanna do my own bath!"

"You want to take a bath on your own?" the brunette asked from her crouching position next to the bathtub as she raised her eyebrows.

"Yes, I'm a big boy now. You said it yourself."

Regina turned to Robin with questioning eyes.

"Are you sure Roland?" he asked.

"Yeah!"

Regina shrugged and stood up, walking towards Robin but he could still she still had worry in her eyes.

"But we'll leave the door open just in case, deal?" Robin addressed his son who nodded in return, proud to be able to finally take a bath by himself.

With that they walked out of the room, and Regina suddenly felt empty. With Roland around, she had something to do, taking care of the boy was her way of occupying herself and as a matter of fact she was quite enjoying it, not having spent time with a child since Henry grew up but now Roland wanted to take care of himself and Regina was left alone with Robin again, something that was the cause of her anxiety lately.

She watched with a bit of heartbreak as Roland tried to take a bath on his own, not getting everything quite right and she chuckled when he dropped the shampoo bottle. From next to her she heard Robin speak.

"He's growing up."

She gave him a bittersweet smile.

"Yes…"

"He's growing up and one day he's going to leave me all alone." He said with a sigh as he walked over to the bed and sat down. As he put his feet up on the bed, not bothering to take off his shoes, he leaned against the headboard and angled himself so he could still keep an eye on his son happily trying to take a bath in the bathroom.

"Robin…" Regina said with an empathetic smile as she crossed the room and sat down on the other side of the bed, pushing her pillow back as she also leaned on it and turned her face to him.

"You know that's not true."

"It is. He will leave and I'll be alone."

After a fresh pause, she let out a sigh and closed her eyes.

"That's what I'm afraid of."

Her words made him stop and turn to look at her, watching her with curious eyes as she was also half lying against the headboard just like him only her back was buried in a pillow.

"With Henry?"

Opening her eyes, she quietly nodded.

"Regina…"

"He already left… to Emma." She confessed, her voice barely above a whisper.

"He's only staying with her to spend time with her, you know he'll never leave you. You're his mother." Robin assured him with a gently voice as he sat up slightly and turned towards her.

"I'm not the only mother he has." She replied with a bitter chuckle.

"Regina, he loves you."

"And I love him but I'm also losing him."

"He'll come back to you."

"So will Roland." She turned to him, deflecting the subject from her. "He won't ever leave you."

"But I should slowly get myself used to the idea of living without him, after all that's the fate that all parents are doomed to suffer sooner or later."

Turning to him, she gave him a smile and put a hand on his arm, the contact instantly sending shivers down her spine.

"You'll get through it."

"So will you." With that he wrapped an arm around her. It was a friendly gesture, meant nothing more than to comfort her but Regina still let herself get comfortable, leaning against his chest as he rubbed her upper arm soothingly. And it worked. She felt herself relax under his touch as she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling, the sound of Roland splashing water bringing a smile to her lips. She could have fallen asleep right there as she remembered her most relaxing sleeping experience had been in his arms. The memories of that morning came flooding back as she recalled how peaceful her morning had been, waking up next to him and how happy she had felt.

However her thoughts were interrupted when after a final rub, he retracted his arm around her shoulders and she quickly leaned away from him, feeling a pang of disappointment forming in her stomach. Of course, this was a friendly gesture, they weren't cuddling, it was only fair. And yet she felt angry and sad, two emotions she had no idea where they were coming from since they had agreed that nothing was going to happen between them. It was the right thing to do and now he was sitting inches away from her without any physical contact but she couldn't stop the sorrow she was feeling. Wanting to change the subject and wanting to distract herself from her ridiculous feelings, she asked.

"Does he miss his mother?"

Hearing her question, his eyes turned to his son who was still blissfully playing in the water and his lips curved into a bitter sweet smile.

"He was too young when she died, he doesn't remember her that well." He replied and she could see the regret in his eyes, whishing his son got to know his mother better.

"But sometimes… he wakes up at nights calling for her and I don't know what to do." He finished, his eyes coming to settle on his lap.

She watched him, her eyes full of empathy as she gathered the courage to ask him the question she had been hoping to ask since she found out about his deceased wife.

"Do you miss her?"

Robin took a deep breath upon hearing his question and for a moment, she feared that he wasn't going to answer, that she went too far but when his features softened and he looked at her with the eyes of a defeated man, her breath got caught in her throat.

"Yes I do." He answered simply before pausing and he took another breath as he spoke again.

"I don't want to forget her." He finally said as he averted his gaze from her.

Regina was taken aback by his sudden confession as she eyed him carefully, afraid that one sudden move would scare him away from her and she inched closer to him, not worrying about invading his personal space. She raised an arm and gently placed it on his upper arm, giving it a firm rub just like he did to her moments ago and she silently comforted him with her touch.

His hand came to rest on top of hers as he nodded slightly, a sign showing that he appreciated the gesture no matter how small it was. But moments later her hand slipped away from his grasp and he missed the warmth of it on his arm.

There was a silence, a comfortable one as they both cherished the feeling of being in each other's company. Robin leaned back and watched her with curious eyes, occasionally giving her a smile whenever their eyes met and he was glad to see she wasn't averting her gaze, she wasn't afraid of him or avoiding him like she always did. It awakened a sense of courage in him.

"What happened to your upper lip?" he suddenly asked boldly, knowing she would answer.

She held her breath for a second before closing her eyes and letting it out, like she knew this moment would come. She had never told anyone about it and now the thief that was sitting right opposite from her on the bed dared to ask.

"Leopold." She whispered and he could swear with the mention of his name, her eyes grew a shade darker as her hand subtly reached down to clasp the edge of her skirt as she held on to the material for dear life, the cotton crumbling under her fist. He watched her close her eyes and look at her hand, her knuckles turning white from the force she had been applying. Her body was tense and she did everything in her power not to make eye contact. It only made him crave it more.

When he stayed silent, it urged her to continue.

"One night, I resisted and he was… he had this ring." The last few words that slipped out of her mouth came out shaky as she visibly trembled at the mention of the painful memory she dared to avenge and afterwards forget.

He didn't want her to continue, couldn't do that to her. Raising one hand, he gently touched her shoulder, testing the waters, just to see if he was allowed to go any further. He didn't know if it was his touch that made her breath hitch or the recollection of events that took place decades ago but she eased into the warmth that his hand provided and he took it as his cue to slide his palm upward to rest on her slender neck.

He paused one more time, still unsure if she was ready for the physical contact but he received his answer when she slightly turned her head towards him, confident to drink in his eyes which were now watching her with utmost affection.

He didn't talk, didn't have to. Whatever he said would not be enough to ease the pain that had rooted deep in her chest or end the suffering which had started long ago, when they were unaware of each other's existence. He chose to comfort her with the ghost of his touch as his hand found her hair and lightly tucked it behind her hair, rendering her speechless for performing the act ever so gently. Another breath was taken by her and the sound made his eyes shift to her slightly parted lips as he observed the scar, his features softening upon thinking about the state she should have been in when this happened. Was she too scared to run away, or was she just weak? Given her young age she probably was and it made Robin's heart ache in his chest.

Without thinking twice, his hand slid to her face and his long fingers slightly brushed the dent on her upper lip. Oblivious to him, too busy focusing on the little scar and what it symbolized, she sucked in another breath as her eyelids fluttered closed.

No one had touched that scar before. Not another man, she had sworn not to let them.

But the power to resist and push him away did not manifest in her limbs as she let him explore her inch by inch.

His gaze shifted to her eyes as he watched her features relax under his touch, eyes still closed as he thought that maybe her demons were finally scattering away one by one. He looked back at her lips and his fingers traced the outline of her mouth as he came to rest on her bottom lip, mesmerized by her beauty. As he felt himself getting lost in glamour, fascinated by her every single move, she suddenly and sharply opened her eyes as she gazed deep into his dark blue ones. Her breathing changed as she dared to part her lips even more and trace the pad of his thumb with her tongue, licking it ever so slightly.

It awakened him, snapped him out of his thoughts as he looked back into her eyes and saw the desire he had been longing to see for a very long time. The trail of salvia she had left on his thumb burned his senses and without tearing his gaze from hers, he dared to slip the same finger into her mouth so gently that it didn't even pass her teeth. However she took the next step for him as her full lips closed around his thumb and she sucked it lightly, drawing a sharp breath from him, their eyes never leaving one another.

Her stare enslaved him and he found himself never wanting to look away from those crystal brown eyes. He felt the pressure around his finger increase as she sucked even harder and he was slowly dying in her hands. His lust was turning into fire, sparks burning his insides as he felt himself losing his mind under her lips.

She was killing him.

The poison that was called her beauty was slowly ending him as he felt himself getting imprisoned by her touch.

He wanted more, he craved it but his own lips couldn't form the words and he found himself unable to speak. She was a vision before him and Robin couldn't find it in himself to ruin what she was doing to him.

Knowing the effect she was having on him, Regina's lips curved into a smile that reached her eyes as she resumed her movements, licking and sucking every inch of the finger he was offering her, fixated on the reaction she was drawing from him. Normally she wouldn't even turn to look at the men dropping at her feet but this one was different, she wanted to affect him, she wanted his eyes on her, she wanted the attention. And she didn't stop to think why as she felt herself getting lost in the moment also, being sucked into the vortex that was his cerulean eyes.

The feeling was intoxicating and maybe she wanted more of it. Maybe instead of his thumb, it was his lips that she wanted to feast from as she brought a hand to his wrist, perfectly manicured nails digging into his skin, leaving half-moon marks, as she held onto his arm for dear life. It was a hint; a sign for him to drop his hand and approach.

He didn't need to be told twice as he gently drew his thumb out of her lips and she let him go with a soft pop, his finger coming to rest on her bottom lip and wetting it with her own salvia.

Retracting his hand away from her face, it came to join hers as she placed them both on her lap, interlocking their fingers in the process. It was a lot more intimate, this gesture, more affectionate as he leaned into her so slightly, like she was a delicate, fragile glass that could shatter any minute, and breathed her in. Her scent was unique, smelled like flowers and a touch of feminine odor that can only belong to her own womanly scent and the hint of a lilac fragrance she had put on that morning was still there as the combination of her essence filled his nostrils, making him want to bury his nose into her neck.

He watched every detail on her face, how her pupils dilated and how she wet her lips slightly as his gaze switched back and forth between her eyes and mouth, and he knew the moment their lips touched, the sparks would go flying and the flame that surrounded them would only grow higher. He anticipated the moment as both their eyelids fluttered closed and they inched even closer to one another, the grip on each other's hands growing stronger.

She could feel him breathing now, it was rigged and shallow just like hers and deep down, somewhere in her mind, a voice was yelling her to stop, to turn away and to never look back. But determined to bury the sound deep in her subconscious where it belonged, for the first time ever, she felt the power in herself to get close to this man whose thought was eating her up from the inside.

She could do this. She wanted to do this. She needed his lips on hers.

"Papa?"

Hearing the voice, they suddenly jumped away from each other as they stared at one another, still in a daze, both still living the moment which was now interrupted by his little son.

Robin jerked his head away from Regina, like a deer caught in the headlights as his eyes turned to observe his son who was apparently done with his bath and now standing in front of them poorly wrapped in a towel as his curious eyes watched them intently.

"Roland."

"What were you doing?" the boy asked, his eyes not leaving the pair once

Regina was flushed with embarrassment mixed with fear and arousal as she desperately tried to avoid Robin's eyes which were going back and forth between her and his son, trying to come up with something to explain the unexplainable.

"We were uhm…" he started but was interrupted by Regina.

"Nothing." She replied in a tone so sharp that both boys dared not to ask any further questions.

"Now let's get you dried up." With that her voice turned much softer as she gave Roland a smile and stood up from the bed, heading towards him.

When she picked him up and wrapped the towel around him more properly, she gave Robin a one last look before disappearing into the bathroom, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

Watching her disappear, Robin sank his head back to the pillows as he laid down and closed his eyes.

What was that?

What was he doing?


	7. Chapter 7

**dakota1979: your suggestion is noted**

**Caroline-Angel: your suggestion is also noted (you guys have brilliant ideas)**

**littlefrecklesonmyface: haha don't worry this is going to be a slow burn**

**Listhefan: nope this not going to last just during the week in Granny's, I have other plans for them! :D**

**Guys! I just wanna share with you all that Lana favorited and retweeted a drawing I made for her and right now I'm just the happiest person in the world! If you wanna check it out, you can go to my twitter, my user name is cagilarel. Yay!**

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The cartoon character on TV screamed in glee and Roland who was lying on his stomach on the bed with his head supported on his arms let out a contagious laugh. Oblivious to him there was a thick tension surrounding the room with Regina standing by the window, pretending to look out and Robin in the bathroom, stalling by doing God knows what. After the events of earlier Regina was quick to avoid him, occupying herself with dressing Roland and so focused that she acted like that was the only purpose of her life. When the boy raided her with questions, curious to why she had been so cheery just moments ago but now seemed so serious and stressed, she replied with short answers, assuring him that nothing was wrong.

However now she was standing by the window, careful not to go further into the room as she quietly observed the people walking by the small building. She felt trapped, absolutely and utterly trapped as her mind desperately tried to find an explanation for what had just happened. Surely it was his fault, he had initiated everything. 'But you're the one who started it!' her brain screamed at her as she closed her eyes in horror upon recollection of the events and cringed in embarrassment.

How stupid she had been and now she was afraid to look him in the eye. It had all happened over a strange and idiotic whim, her endless obsession with trying to get him to notice her which she thought was a result of her hormones. She was a woman after all and he was a man, a rather good looking one, who happened to be in the close proximity of her lately and her body was taking it for granted. It was wrong, absolutely wrong. Especially after they had promised that nothing would happen between them. Of course her mind sometimes drifted off to having a one night stand with him, all the excessive sexual tension rendering her more tired with each day as she sometimes let her mind wander, curious to what it would be like to feel him inside of her as he pounded her over and over again, but then she would snap out of her thoughts, embarrassed on the behalf of her mind as she desperately tried to hide the blush that crept up her cheeks.

Sometimes he would look at her in such a way that it made her wonder what would happen if she were to lean over and place an open mouthed sloppy kiss on his half parted lips. What would he do? Would he push her away with a disgusted look on his face? Or would he kiss her right back like she has never been kissed before?

All these thoughts floated in her head but for her, one thing was certain. What she was feeling for Robin was nothing more than a simple and stupid infatuation and it would certainly go away once she gave in to her desires and slept with him. Not that that was going to happen, she was sure of it. Nevertheless she thought about it from time to time and taught herself to be content with just the idea of it, and nothing more.

Robin on the other hand was passing time in the bathroom, half afraid to come out in the open and face her. Now Roland was acting like some sort of a barrier between them and he was grateful for it. But deep down he knew he had to face her sooner or later besides if he didn't take the first step, he sure as hell knew she wasn't going to. So taking a deep breath and giving himself a one last look over in the mirror, he gathered his courage and stepped out of the bathroom.

When he did, the first thing his eyes spotted was his son, laying on the bed and watching TV, then his eyes danced around the room and stopped when he found her by the window, tensed up upon hearing him leave the bathroom. She desperately tried to keep her attention on the window, no longer watching the people passing by but intently observing the stains on the glass formed by dust, dirt and rain.

Her body became more alert with his every step towards her as she tried to hide how stressed out she actually was. Because she knew he was coming to confront her, coming to ask her what the hell was that all about back there and she couldn't find the courage in herself to go through that conversation.

He was halfway across the room now and she tried to seem calm but in reality she was having trouble controlling her rapid breathing and racing heart. She could feel him coming closer, she could almost feel his breath on her neck, she could feel…

"Regina."

She gasped and turned around to quickly that she stumbled and her back hit the window behind her. His hand instinctively shot up to her arm as his fingers slightly grazed the skin on her bare arm, worrying for a moment that she would fall. He was there to catch her and she hated that. He had startled her and she hated that also.

Once he decided that she was steady on her feet, he immediately dropped his hand. Physical contact was the last thing they needed at that point.

"Regina." He repeated one more time after a beat of silence.

"Yes."

She wanted to take another step back, away from him but window was blocking her so sighing, another desperate attempt to control her breathing, she crossed her arms in front of her in a defensive state as she prepped her mind for her answer to the question he was about to ask, 'What the hell were you doing?'.  
_I don't know.  
I was just caught up in the moment.  
I wanted to kiss you._

"I'm sorry about your husband and how he treated you."

She froze. Of all the things that she imagined him say over their brief and tension filled encounter, this was the least of it. Raising her eyebrows, she stared at him with her lips slightly parted as she made sure if he really meant what he said. He had apparently because there he was, standing in front of her in silence and giving her a warm smile.

She quickly closed her mouth and tried to form the words.

"Thank you." After a beat, she added. "Although you don't need to apologize. I t wasn't your fault."

"I know but if you want to talk about it, I'm here."

It was a peace offering. He was silently proposing to leave the awkward moment behind and move on.

He wanted to be her friend.

She didn't know what to think about that. Part of her was angry. Here she was worrying about the change in their relationship, their actions earlier and their almost kiss, but he seemed content with it, almost as if he had forgotten. It made press her lips together tightly and her nostrils flared in anger as she eyes him carefully up and down.  
_How dare he change the subject when this is all I think about?_

"I don't need your sympathy, thief." She spat out, her voice sharp enough to cut through glass.

Upon hearing her answer, Robin felt like he was punched in the stomach. The infamous nickname was back. Taking a step back, he replied harshly.

"Fine."

"Fine." She said right back.

As the two of them stood there, arms crossed in front of them and stared each other like five year olds, the actual five year old in the room tore his gaze away from the TV and addressed them.

"Regina, can I stay here tonight? Uncle Will snores."

The atmosphere changed immediately when the little boy spoke and the Regina sizing Robin up for a coffin was gone only to be replaced with the mother Regina who was now giving him a soft smile.

"Of course you can, sweetheart."

Robin just rolled his eyes and scoffed at her change of heart. Has she always been able to change her emotions quickly or was he the reason forthis haywire?

After responding him, she gave Robin a one last look and walked over to Roland, determined to ignore him for the rest of the night.

#

Regina didn't disappoint. Hours passed and she was still with Roland, talking to him, playing with him like he was the only person in the room. Stealing one of her books, Robin tried to pass the time by reading, he even left the room at some point to have a drink with Little John at the bar and when he got back nothing had changed and Regina was still with Roland on the bed, pretending to be very interested in the cartoon they were watching. Unlike him, she didn't even turn to cast him a side glance as she pretended to be very focused on the TV.

So that was how they had spent their evening and now Robin was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth as he watched the pair from the mirror, sitting happily on the bed wrapped in blankets. He had left the door ajar on purpose, wanting to spy on them and now all he saw was his son cuddled up to Regina, listening intently to the story she was telling him. He had tried joining them a couple of times earlier but they had ignored him, being so wrapped up in their conversation and Robin had accepted his fate. It was practically impossible to get in between them. So he opted for watching them from a distance and smiled softly at how cute they looked both in their pajamas, sleepy and overall happy.

When he was done in the bathroom, he stepped out and closed the door behind him. Casting them one more glance and deciding that they wouldn't want to be disturbed, he crossed the room and grabbed the old blanket that had accompanied him during his first night here and spread it on the floor. Mentally preparing himself to another night of sleeping on the hardwood floor, he slowly lowered himself to the ground, but as soon as his back hit the floor, he heard his son speak.

"Regina, why is papa sleeping on the floor?"

His words startled them both as they froze, not knowing what to do or say. Regina turned to him, her eyes wide with alarm and Robin thought that was the first time she acknowledged him that night.

"He's not honey, he is sleeping here with us."

"I am?"

"Of course you are." And she gave him such a look that it told him to shut up and get into bed.

For a second he didn't know what to say. Yes, he had slept in the bed with her before but as far as he was concerned that was a one time thing and now she was asking him again. Well, at least for Roland's sake.

When his eyes met Roland's and saw him looking at him with hope and curiosity, he decided to nod and comply before crossing the room and getting into the other side of the bed.

This was good. They had Roland in between them and this time he was sure nothing awkward would happen. Not that he didn't want it, he wanted more than anything to run his hands over her body while she slept but it was the look she gave him after that discouraged him. She always seemed panicked and alarmed, and he hated being the cause of that. So staying away from her was logical, at least for her own good.

When he slipped under the covers and turned to her almost instinctively, Regina quickly averted her gaze and looked at Roland.

"Now it's time for you to go to sleep." She addressed him, the warm smile back in her features.

"But you didn't finish your story! Did everyone live happily ever after?" the boy asked curiously, his eyes filled with excitement.

The first answer that came to Regina's mind was no, no one lives happily ever after. Throughout most of her adult life she had clung to that thought, knowing it's what was true. Happily ever afters do not exist, not even in the world they were from. Something almost always happened. But upon seeing the look on Roland's face, she decided not to crash his hopes and altered her answer.

"That's for you to find out tomorrow if you go to sleep."

Postponing the answer was not the best choice but that was all she could come up with given that she didn't want to lie, especially being under the pressure of the boy's father staring at her intently. Did he think that she wouldn't notice?

"Okay, goodnight Regina!" he said and placed a kiss on the woman's cheek which made Robin's heart stopped beating for a second or two. He tried to remember the last time his son was this close to a woman, another mother figure. He couldn't come up with an answer.

After that Roland was fast asleep, curled up to his father's side much to his surprise. He would have guessed he'd be with Regina instead but cherishing the only moment he had with him throughout the whole day, he wrapped an arm around him and closed his eyes himself but the tossing and turning on Regina's part did not go unnoticed by him.

#

Regina was restless, she wasn't sleepy at all. She shouldn't have been there, she should have been all alone in her big house, crying herself to sleep like she did almost every night. That's what villains deserved. She should not have been in a bed with a loving father and son, the latter asking her for bedtime stories. People like her did not deserve to be loved but the look on Robin's face every time they made eye contact stated otherwise. No matter how much they bickered and bantered, there was something in his face that she couldn't quite place. It was almost as if he was looking at her the way Daniel had all those years ago but she quickly shut off the thought, after all it had been years since someone looked at her like that and she was surely mistaken. But when he teased her, it wasn't disgust she saw in him, it was admiration and it brought a blush to her cheeks.

She turned to her side and faced the father and son, both sleeping peacefully next to her. Her eyes roamed over Robin's body, as she thanked God that he was actually wearing a sleeveless shirt to bed and that he wasn't half naked. But she couldn't take her eyes off of him anyways, watching his features, the lines on his face and around his eyes which became even more visible every time he laughed. She smiled at the thought.

He was breathing softly and she was sure that he was asleep so when he spoke quietly, eyes still closed, it startled her.

"You can't sleep." It was a statement, not a question.

"No."

He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered, not wanting to wake his son.

"Nothing in particular." She lied, she was thinking about him.

"I see." The last thing he wanted to do was to pressure her.

After a brief silence he spoke again.

"You don't believe in happily ever afters?"

"Do you?"

"I…" her question had caught him off guard but it wasn't long before he added.

"Yes."

"Seriously?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I have my son with me and someday I will grow old with him by my side." He said, looking at the ceiling. "But that seems hard to believe now since you're stealing him away from me." He added with a smile.

Regina paused. She had no idea her interaction with his son would affect him. And he was right, she shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have gotten involved in the boy's life without permission. Suddenly she felt guilty.

"Oh God Robin, I'm sorry-"

"Don't be. I like it." He interrupted her and turned his head to find her looking at him with a surprised expression.

"You do?"

"Roland likes you and God knows he needs a mother figure in his life, and you're giving that to him. He is happy and that makes me happy."

She couldn't answer so instead she simply nodded and closed her eyes, but she knew she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. So before she could stop herself, the thought that had been bothering her for hours, slipped out of her lips in the form of words.

"About earlier…"

Robin froze. She was referring to their almost kiss.

"We don't have to talk about it." He quickly said, not because the subject bothered him but because he knew it bothered her.

"I know but I feel like… I feel like I should explain myself."

"It wasn't entirely your fault. We were both caught up in the moment."

"It's not going to happen again." She replied, not informing him but assuring herself.

"Okay." His voice came out barely above a whisper and she felt like she detected a hint of disappointment.

The silence that surrounded them was a bit uncomfortable, but not awkward, both of them expecting the other one to say something but not quite sure if they had gone to sleep or not. All Regina could hear was the sound of his breathing and the thumping of her heart. The absence of sound was slowly lulling her to sleep and she was feeling the peace in the moment, the calmness of it numbing her slowly. Just as her eyes were about to flutter close, she heard him speak.

"I like how you smell."

"Excuse me?" she opened her eyes wider but her voice was still not above a whisper.

"Earlier, when we were uhm… close. Is it jasmine?"

"I wasn't wearing any perfume." She informed him, her lips curving into a smile and she was glad that he couldn't see it in the darkness.

"Oh…"

"Goodnight." She said and closed her eyes, determined to go to sleep this time.

There was another silence before he whispered again.

"So that's your own scent?"

"Go to sleep, Robin."

"Do you think I can smell it again, just to make sure?"

"You wanna smell me in the middle of the night?" her eyes shot open and as she stared at him, with her eyebrows raised.

"You make it sound so ridiculous."

"That's because it is."

"So can I?"

She let out a sigh before making her decision, which she thought was completely rushed but she didn't care, and answered.

"Maybe later."

With that she closed her eyes and let sleep take over, the faint goodnight coming from him bringing a smile to her lips.

#

Regina woke up to an annoying sound of someone talking, presumably coming from the TV. Squeezing her eyes closed and not wanting to wake up from her peaceful slumber just yet, she moaned in protest and snuggled deep into her pillow. From beside her, she heard someone speak, voice hoarse.

"Roland turn that thing off, we're trying to sleep."

Regina hummed in agreement but she suddenly froze. She didn't just hear that someone speak, she had felt the vibrations… in her pillow. And said pillow seemed to be moving.

In a matter of seconds, her eyes shot open and she lifted her head slightly, the bright light coming from the window making her squint as she drew her brows together. When her eyes were finally coming to focus and the last remnants of her sleep faded away, she turned her head and looked at the source of the voice.

Robin.

Frowning, her eyes gazed at their current situation.

His arms were around her, of course… Why wasn't she surprised?

Finding the power in herself and still feeling a bit sleepy, she tried to wake him, her hand coming up to his upper abdomen as she shook him slightly.

"Robin…"

"Hmm…

"Robin." She shook him even harder which caused him to tighten his grip around her waist.

"What…"

"Wake up!" with that the hand she was using to shake him out of his sleep, raised and came to hit him hard on the abdomen.

"Ow!" his eyes cracked open as he absent mindedly brought his hand to cover hers so she couldn't hit him again.

"Why are you incapable of sleeping without touching me?" she complained but making no moves to leave his embrace.

Smiling slightly and looking around, his eyes finally settled on hers and he answered.

"As far as I'm concerned, this is my side of the bed."

Regina froze before slowly turning her head to observe the position they were in. He was right, they were on his side of the bed and she was clinging to him like a damn koala.

"So you're the one who can't sleep without touching me, your majesty." His words came out coated with sarcasm and she had to close her eyes to avoid eye contact.

When she opened them and found him giving her a sheepish smile, she sighed and untangled herself from him and left the bed to go to the bathroom. On her way there, she cast a glance at Roland who was sitting on the edge of the bed, having woken up way earlier than them, and watching TV.

She could still feel his touch around her body, burning her skin. She had to admit, she did miss the warmth of him when she left the bed, but not wanting to admit that little fact even to herself, she brushed off the thought and closed the door behind her. At least she thought she did…

Once she met the silence of the bathroom, she let out a long sigh and made her way to the sink, stopping in front of it to look at herself long and hard on the mirror. Leaning in closer, she observed the wrinkles around her eyes and the slightly darker skin under them. She couldn't get a good night's sleep, waking up in the middle of it a couple of times to check on Roland.

Closing her eyes, she reached for the faucet and let the cold water run as she soaked her hands under it, letting it calm her. Her fingers played in the water as she splashed it around her wrists, and she enjoyed the feeling as it cooled her. The serenity that the water provided was overwhelming but when she opened her eyes, it wasn't only herself she saw in the mirror, it was him too, watching her from the half open door.

When they made eye contact through the mirror, she felt a shiver go down her spine and without being able to stop herself, she gathered some water in her palm and lifted her hand to her neck, allowing the cool water to splash her collarbone. She could see him taking a sharp breath at the view before him as the droplets of water ran down from her neck and chest, rendering her skin shiny as they made their way towards the edge of her nightgown and wetted it. With the flimsy material clinging to her chest, she never once broke off their eye contact as she did it one more time, lips slightly parted and she watched his reaction.

Suddenly he was inside the bathroom and he closed the door after him and it was her turn to gasp and watch his every move from the mirror. He walked towards her and when he was close enough and she could feel the warmth radiating from him, he spoke in an almost predatory, low voice.

"You owe me a sniff."

Her mind couldn't find time to comprehend what was happening as both of his hands made their way towards her waist and he firmly grabbed her hips, pulling her to him.

Her back hit his chest and it was harsher than she expected so she couldn't stop the moan that escaped her lips. His hands left her hips only to find her hair as he first ran his fingers through it, like he had been craving to do that for a very long time, and moved it aside, exposing the bare, slightly wet skin of her neck to him. Without thinking, she tilted her head to the side, giving him better access as she relaxed into his chest, anticipating his next move.

He first looked at her and gauged her reaction, and saw her lean into his arms and breathe slowly without making a single move. She was accepting it.

She was allowing him to touch her.

His fingers came to caress the hollow of her neck, barely grazing over it but it was enough to send shivers down her spine. He looked ahead of him and saw her reflection in the mirror. For a second they made eye contact and he saw desire in her eyes, something he wasn't expecting to see. But before he could look any further, she closed her eyes and bit her lower lip.

Robin didn't dare to waste any more time as he leaned down and breathed her in. There it was; her scent, the one he had smelled earlier and couldn't get enough of. But this time he knew better. It wasn't any perfume he was smelling, no, it was pure Regina and it awakened emotions in him that he thought had died with Marian. It was rich and feminine, and not being able to stop himself, he took another breath before placing the softest of kisses on her skin. He felt her tremble in his arms but didn't dare to lift his head.

Regina was dying, she couldn't move. She had no idea a touch, his touch could make her knees go weak and make her heart beat like it was going to burst out of her chest. She needed to stop this, to protect herself but she couldn't find the power in herself.

They were so close. She knew if she turned her head even just a bit, there were going to be merely inches between them. And then what was going to stop her from feeling his lips on hers? If she just turned her head…

So she did.

* * *

**Don't kill me. I love you all.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Sorry for the delay guys, its been a busy week.**

**Thank you to every single one of you who reviewed, favorited and followed this story. I also read your lovely messages on tumblr and twitter, and it literally makes my day! I'm so happy someone's actually reading my story! :D**

**Anyways, on with the chapter...**

* * *

It was a good feeling, waiting for someone to touch you for so long and finally getting to experience it. All this time, she had thought about it but never allowing her body to affect her judgment, she had chosen to be the physically passive one in their relationship. The worst thing was the risk of those thoughts manifesting when he was closer. Sure she could think all she wanted, fantasize about his arms surrounding her and his hands wandering in places they shouldn't but sometimes, especially lately, she found herself exploring these thoughts even deeper when he was around. Sometimes he would just talk and she would practically scold herself to listen to what he was actually saying, instead of staring at his lips and thinking how the texture of his stubble would feel on her soft skin.

Now she was getting to find out. It felt quite nice and she found herself wanting to feel more of it and not just on her neck.

So taking a leap of faith, and instead of clearing her throat and leaving his embrace, in other words running away like her mind had been screaming at her to do, she turned her head to the side and met his gaze, something she wouldn't have imagined herself doing just days ago.

Suddenly the tiny bathroom they were occupying felt too hot as she struggled to breathe. Their locked gazes were hypnotizing her and she couldn't find the power in herself to look away. Her mouth went dry, parting her lips slightly to regain her breath as her tongue licked its way around the corner of her mouth, the desire she was feeling for him growing bigger in her chest by each passing second. How did they get there, she had no idea but all she knew was she did not want to stop. The close proximity was driving her crazy and she dared to bring her lips closer to his.

The door creaking behind them startled them both as they quickly jumped apart from each other, still out of breath and turned around to see a little boy peeking at them through the now open door.

"Papa?"

Regina had her back to the sink, her hands gripping it tighter and drawing support from it given that her knees refused to work as she tried to focus on Roland who was now standing in front of them with wide, curious eyes. She hadn't even turned the water off.

"Roland." Robin stated, his voice instantly growing softer even though this was the second time his son was interrupting them.

"Let's uhm…" he cleared his throat as he casted a side glance to Regina who from the looks of it was having trouble standing up. Chuckling at the sight, he quickly averted his gaze, not wanting to embarrass her any further and turned to Roland.

"Let's get you out of those pajamas." He said with a smile and the little boy nodded.

With that, he walked over to Roland. Picking him up, he looked at Regina one more time but she didn't meet his gaze, instead she quickly turned away from him. Reaching for the faucet, she turned it off. The room fell into a silence with the absence of the sound of water. When she looked up and glanced at him from the mirror, he was gone.

Closing her eyes upon the realization that she was finally alone, she let out a sigh.

When was this going to end?

#

"Robin!"

Robin walked into the Granny's, having left Regina in their room, wanting her to have her privacy. From the looks of it, she needed it more than he did and the thought was enough to bring a smile to his lips. He had left with Roland and now his intention to have a long breakfast with his son was interrupted when Emma called his name from one of the booths.

Smiling politely, he walked over to them but much to his surprise Roland let go of his hand and quickly ran over to Will Scarlet who was sitting right across from Emma and innocently trying to eat his eggs.

"Uncle Will I don't wanna stay with Papa and Regina anymore!"

Robin's eyes grew wide as he walked over to them and came to stand right next to Will who was having trouble swallowing as he tried to balance the little boy on his lap.

"What happened?" he asked, his mouth still half full. Emma frowned at him suspiciously before turning her gaze to Robin. Snow who was sitting right next to them also turned to watch Robin who was staring at his son with a shocked expression.

"Papa and Regina do the kissy thing all the time! Like Emma and Hook!"

There was a deadly silence after the little boy spoke. Everyone turned to Robin, and they all stared at him with their eyebrows raised, waiting for an explanation. Even a couple of people at the diner Robin didn't recognize turned to watch him with curious eyes. The thief had kissed the queen?

"You guys made out?" Emma quickly blurted out, a smirk settling on her lips.

"No, no no no! No!" Robin took a step back, as he desperately searched for the words that would get him out of the situation.

"Roland was just… he's just kidding." He tried but his son shook his head which caused Emma to stare at him even harder, the smile on her lips growing bigger each second.

"Look, he just caught us-" Robin started one more time but was interrupted by Emma.

"Caught you?"

"_Found_ us a bit closer than normal. That's it."

"And why were you a bit closer than normal?"

"I was smelling her."

"You were what?"

"No okay that's enough." He quickly picked Roland up and gave them a one last glance. What happened with Regina just hours ago and last night was their business and he wasn't about to share even a single detail with their curious audience. Besides, he had a feeling Regina wouldn't like it either.

So taking his son from Will, he gave them a one last glance before walking out the diner. After a beat of silence, Will spoke.

"I didn't understand a bloody thing."

"They are right where I want them to be." Emma said with a grin before taking out her phone.

"And where's that?"

"I need to call Killian."

#

The rest of the day had been uneventful with Regina managing to leave the diner without getting herself noticed. She had even noticed Emma at the corner of the room, whispering something to the phone that Regina was sure she didn't want to know about. Sneaking out of the diner had been easier than she thought and she was able to go to work without anyone bothering her.

Truth to be told, she had missed the comfort of going to work from her own house, without having anyone to question her. She had even missed sleeping in her own bed but she was determined to complete the challenge Emma had provided for her and she had no intention to back down. After all she didn't have any feelings for the thief so why not prove it?

Although she was discovering that to be rather a challenge with him being so close to her all the time. She had to admit, she always enjoyed a bit of attention, especially coming from him but lately the said attention was causing her to lose control over her actions and she didn't like that. That morning had been a great example. Why couldn't she push him away? She had no idea. Her mind had screamed at her to do so, she knew it was the right thing, to be able to step away from him with a teasing smile and telling him that now was not the time, but no, the minute she felt him behind her, she was frozen and unable to think.

Of course he wasn't the cause of that reaction, it was her hormones being confused that's all. If it had been any other man in his place, her body would definitely react the same. She just hated that it was him she was stuck in a room with for a week.

These thoughts clouded her mind the whole day and when Emma called her to invite her to a party they were having in The Rabbit Hole that night, she was secretly glad to be away from all the stress.

"And who's party is this?"

"Killian arranged it."

"Why?"

"Are you coming or not?" the blonde sighed over the phone.

"I'll see what I can do."

A party. That was a good idea. When she hung up the phone, her mind drifted off to the quietness she would have once Robin was off to Emma's party. She could peacefully finish her work or read a book. She could be alone.

Away from him.

Of course it was a good thing. She had been craving that moment, she didn't need Robin. Shaking her head, she tried to smile, tried to be happy that he was probably going to want to spend an evening away from her. He didn't need her.

Yet, when she was done with her work, and it was starting to get dark outside, her feet lead her to where the Rabbit Hole was, a bar that she deeply hated. She would much prefer the quietness of Granny's. She told herself she was just going to see what was going on. This was her town after all and she wasn't going to allow anyone getting drunk and doing anything reckless.

Right. She was just going to check on them, then leave.

#

Killian closed one eye as he tightened his grip on the cue. Angling it, he aimed at the little yellow ball that was easily positioned right in front of a side pocket. Taking a deep breath, he hit the white ball which hit the one that he was aiming at and he successfully managed to make it roll down to the hole.

Straightening up, he gave himself a satisfactory grin but his little gloating over his perfect shot was interrupted by Robin scoffing.

"That was easy."

"I'd like to watch you do the same, mate." He challenged him and stepped back only for Robin to angle his cue to hit another ball.

They were all around the pool table in The Rabbit Hole, Killian, Robin and Emma as the latter two watched the outlaw to make his shot. While Killian watched him and prayed that he wouldn't get it right, Emma's head wasn't in their little pool game. She was standing at the back, constantly checking her phone. Upon noticing her discomfort, Killian stepped back towards her and spoke.

"Calm down love, she'll be here."

"But what if she decides not to come?"

"Of course she will, Robin's here." With that the couple turned their heads to him who was innocently playing the game, oblivious to their plans.

"But what if she-"

"Are you talking about me?"

Emma practically jumped before turning to face the brunette who was standing right before them with her eyebrows raised. Stuttering, Emma turned to look at Killian who was giving her a I told you so look.

"Regina, you're here!"

"I didn't want you to get drunk and tear the town apart." She replied nonchalantly as she spotted Robin from the corner of her eye at the pool table before quickly averting her gaze.

"As if we'd ever do that." Killian replied.

Emma turned to him and the couple shared a knowing look before he winked at her, glad that their plan was about to start and he addressed Regina.

"Regina, come play pool with us."

"I… I wouldn't know how." She managed to say, eyeing the pool table. She had never even tried before.

"Good." Killian whispered for Emma's ears only who giggled in return.

"Come, Robin will show you." With that she grabbed the brunette's arm and led her to the pool table.

Upon hearing his name and seeing someone approach, Robin lifted his head from the game. His eyes grew wide when he saw who the intruder was and he quickly straightened up, unable to tear his gaze from Regina's who was now giving him a sheepish smile. She was here? She came? Robin had hoped to see her here but not wanting to get his hopes up and knowing she would want to be away from him even for a night, he had thought she wouldn't come. Yet, here she was. He wasn't prepared for her. He quickly made a mental check-up, was he wearing something decent?

Meanwhile Regina approached the table with small steps, something she wasn't familiar with. When her eyes met his, she got scared for a moment that he wouldn't want her here. After all it was his night out with friends and she was this uptight woman he was only sharing a room with. What if she was bothering him? But her thoughts dissolved when he gave her a smile in return and she found herself a bit relieved.

"Alright mate, new game. You're a team with Regina." Killian quickly said before either of them had time to object.

"But I don't know how to play." Regina responded, her eyes roaming over the pool table with curiosity.

"Oh that's fine, Robin will teach you." Emma said, eager to watch what will happen as she stood next to Killian with a grin on her lips. He leaned towards her and whispered.

"Trust me love, teaching pool is a great excuse for a man to get close to a woman." He said, his eyes watching the couple.

"He's gonna get behind her and-" but Emma didn't have time to finish his sentence as they both witness the events unfold before them.

Robin was teaching her alright but he was standing right next to her, demonstrating the correct posture and how to hit a ball. Quietly mimicking him, Regina was watching his every move and she tried to do exactly what he did. The thing was, under no circumstance he was touching her.

Absolutely no touching.

"What the hell?" Emma blurted out.

"Relax Swan, she'll get it wrong at some point." With that he stepped forward and addressed them.

"Alright, we're starting!"

Killian opened the game and as he did, Robin was standing right next to Regina explaining what was going on. When it was her turn, he helped her make the right shot.

"Now, aim for the stripes." He said before walking to the other end of the pool table and making eye contact with her.

"Remember what I taught you."

Blushing a bit and afraid that she'd get it wrong, Regina leaned down and made a bridge before placing the cue on her hand. Gripping it tight, her eyes watched him with a self-conscious look. The last thing she wanted to do was to embarrass herself, especially in front of him.

"If you hit the edge of the ball, it will go to the side. You know what, forget the ball. Look at my finger." With that he placed a hand on the rail, right behind the ball, careful not to touch the ball itself.

"Forget the ball, aim for me." He spoke with a reassuring smile.

Taking a nervous breath, Regina did what he asked. She didn't believe that she was going to do it right, not a chance, but a part of her wanted to impress him so exhaling loudly and casting one more glance at his soft smile, she aimed for his hand and hit the white ball.

Much to her surprise, she managed to hit the little red and white striped ball and it rolled to the side only to fall into a corner pocket. When she raised her head in surprise and amazement, what she saw in Robin's eyes was pure fascination as he gave him a rather proud look which made her blush and avert her gaze. Behind her, Killian spoke.

"Beginner's luck."

"Or she's actually good and you guys are going to lose." Robin replied, defending her.

"That's out of the question." Emma said before moving forward to make her shot.

As they watched her aim and miss, Regina whispered to Robin who was now standing right next to her, watching the game.

"You really think I can do it?"

"You have good aim." He answered honestly. "We'll be fine."

With that he leaned down and aimed for another striped ball.

The game went on like that with Emma occasionally missing and Killian ogling her ass at every chance he got. He even tried to do it with Regina but the minute his eyes went downward, he felt Robin shove an elbow in his ribs and he had to walk away, slightly coughing. After that he didn't even dare to stand behind Regina when it was her turn.

"Aim for this one." Robin would sometimes say and she would feel his breath on the back of her neck but not even once would he touch her.

"It will hit the other one and they'll both roll down the side."

Nodding, she would comply and smile when his assumptions proved to be correct.

As for Robin, he was just enjoying the reaction on her face every time she managed to get it right. She would get amazed first and her immediate reaction would be to turn to look at him, silently asking for a confirmation if she did it right. After seeing him nod, her lips would curve into a smile which would later become a full on grin and Robin would watch every second of it, not daring to miss it.

It was adorable. She was adorable and he was proud of her.

As the game moved forward and Emma and Killian realized Robin was being his gentleman self which Killian had no idea why, they decided to try a different approach.

"She's got her posture wrong, mate!" Killian complained as they both anticipated for him to at least put an arm around her to fix it.

Glancing at Regina, Robin only nodded before taking his cue and nudging her waist with the tip of it. Regina quickly fixed her posture before making her shot and another fell down to a pocket.

Killian only groaned.

"How am I doing?" she asked at one point with a smile on her face.

"Are you kidding me? We're doing great! We're down to the black ball."

"What does that mean?"

"Means if you get this right, we'll win."

She suddenly froze. What if she couldn't? He was counting on her and every time she turned to him, she saw pride in his eyes that she didn't dare ruin. When he sensed her discomfort, he turned to her.

"Hey, don't worry. It's just a game."

"I know but-"

"I'm buying you drinks whether we win or not."

His last words were enough to bring a smile to her lips as she approached the pool table and leaned down. Frowning, she inspected the black ball which was positioned right in the middle of the table. Deciding that she wasn't going to be able to reach it from here, she lifted herself to the rails. Making sure to keep one high heel clad foot on the ground, she sat down on the rail, the edge of her skirt brushing the cushions as she aimed for the ball.

Robin promised himself that he wasn't going to look at her, ogle her like Killian tried to do, it would be disrespectful. All this time he had even did his best not to touch her, not when there were people around. However his thoughts were shattered into pieces when her tight black skirt hiked up to reveal her legs. The little slit on the side was cut deep enough to show a bit of her upper thigh and he found himself unable to tear his gaze from it. She had beautiful legs and if Robin hadn't paid attention to them before, he sure did now.

She seemed to be oblivious to his gaze as she hit the ball and watched it slowly roll away from her. When it finally fell into the hole, she froze and turned to look at him.

Robin had managed to tear his eyes from her legs at the last minute only to watch her win the game and she raised her eyebrows with shock and excitement as they both stared at each other with amazed expressions. Before he knew what was going on, Regina let out a loud laugh and jumped off the table and ran towards him. She didn't have time to think about her actions as she launched at him and he caught her.

Wrapping her arms around him, she hugged him closer to her and laughed into his neck, dizzy with the happiness of achieving something she never thought she would. Suddenly she felt her feet being lifted from the ground as he pulled her tighter to him and picked her up, all the while laughing with her.

"You did it!"

"I know!"

When he put her down, she pulled back a little only to gaze deep into his eyes. He was smiling at her, practically beaming as she felt his grip on her waist tighten.

Robin was amazed. Not only because she had won the game, but because the uptight Regina who rarely gave him a smile was gone only to be replaced with another side of her who was carefree and enjoying this moment of simple achievement more than anything. It thrilled him, seeing her like this awakened things in him that he never thought possible with Regina. With her, Robin had always thought he would get the womanly, feminine side of her but now she was standing in front of him smiling like a little girl and he thought if that's what she had been like before she was forced to marry the king.

Her laughter was high pitched, different from all the deep chuckles he had heard from her, and he thought it was adorable.

She was beautiful.

"Congrats, mate." Killian suddenly spoke sarcastically, interrupting their little moment which caused them to stop and turn to look at him.

"She was an amateur but you won anyways. Cheers." He added before lifting a glass towards her.

"She plays it better than you do." Robin answered, his arms still around her waist as Regina gave him a sly smile.

"Now, can I buy you that drink?" he turned to her and was happy to see her nod excitedly.

#

They managed to ditch Killian and Emma who were still giving them annoyed looks and found two empty stools at the bar.

"I haven't had that much fun since… well forever." She suddenly blurted out, the hints of her previous laughter still visible in her voice.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it, and you're quite talented." He replied before ordering a red wine for her and scotch for himself.

"I had a good teacher." She said softly. She was sitting on the stool, slightly angled towards him as she crossed her legs, her foot slightly brushed his leg and it reminded him of her exposed leg back at the pool table. It was enough to send shivers down his spine.

"I didn't know you could play this well." She added and gave a polite smile to the waiter who brought her her drink.

"I hang out here more than you think." He said, taking a sip from his scotch.

"I had never been here before."

"Really? You lived here longer than I did and you've never been to the bar?"

"If I want to drink, I do it in the privacy of my own house."

"That sounds inviting. Maybe I can join you someday." He said before taking the glass to his lips and raising his eyebrows.

"Maybe you can bring me here someday." She replied, raising her eyebrows back in a challenging way.

"Like… on a date?"

_Yes._

"Of course not." She quickly said, ignoring how her heart started to beat faster.

"I was just kidding." He said instantly, a desperate attempt to cover his mistake.

There was a silence, not an uncomfortable one as they both sipped their drinks and looked around, enjoying each other's company. This was nice, it was better than being trapped in a room with him all day and Regina found herself more at ease.

Suddenly his lips curved into a smile before placing his drink down and addressing her.

"How about we ditch the wine and play a game?"

"What kind?"

"Embarrassing questions." He suddenly said, inching closer to her and it left her breathless.

"Sounds childish."

"With shots." He added, giving her a challenging look.

She gasped slightly as her lips parted and she eyed him with a curious look.

"What do I get out of it?"

"A chance to get your hands on every one of my dirty secrets? You won't miss that, I know you too well."

"And…" she said, also leaning towards him before she added. "What do you get out of it?"

"I will ask you anything I want and you will answer."

She eyed him up and down, her gaze lingering a bit longer at his lips before her brown eyes met his blue ones. She didn't know if the color of his eyes were a shade darker because of the lightning in the bar or because she was getting herself into something she really shouldn't. Taking a deep breath, she finally answered.

"Deal."

This was a bad idea.

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**Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	9. Chapter 9

**Much thanks to my dear friend Melis (aka oh-my-helena) who did the beta for this despite the killer headache she was having which made her want to and I quote "cut her head off" and "pin nails to her temples".**

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After downing another glass of tequila, Regina winced at the bitter taste before bringing a slice of lemon to her lips. She heard Robin let out a loud chuckle as she sucked on the slice of lemon and she lifted her eyes to watch him do the same.

"Bitter?" She heard him ask with a smile.

"Nothing I can't handle." She replied smugly before dropping the lemon and adding. "Go ahead."

"Are you really sure about this?"

"Ask me before I change my mind."

Letting out a low chuckle which caused Regina to sigh longingly, he spoke.

"When was the first time you felt like you were capable of doing something evil?" He suddenly blurted out, catching her off guard.

"When Daniel died." She replied without thinking. She knew, that was her first time; the first time she had felt the potential inside of her. After a beat, she added.

"I wanted to have revenge."

"Who is Daniel?" He dared to ask but she turned her gaze away. It was a delicate subject for her, he could tell. He suddenly regretted asking the question and cursed himself for it. Thankfully she changed the subject.

"My turn!" But before she could ask her question, he ordered the barkeeper two more shots.

"We need to keep drinking in between." He informed her with a smug smile.

"Is that how you play it?" She asked with a grin, already knowing the answer to her question. She knew the rules before she had agreed to this stupid game of his.

"We don't have to-"

But before he could finish his sentence, she grabbed the little shot glass and sloshed it down in one gulp, not bothering to reach for a slice of lemon this time even though the taste burned her mouth. Instead, she gave him a challenging look and raised her eyebrows, expecting him to do the same.

She was playing him and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't impressed. Nodding, he reached for his own glass and drank it, curious to how this game will turn out if they kept drinking like this. But before he had a chance to explore the thought further, she spoke.

"If you were to wear a woman's clothing, what would it be?"

"What the hell kind of a question is that?"

"An embarrassing one."

"Hmm… I'm gonna go with a dress because it's easier to move around in." he replied, closing his eyes and thinking as to what else could be an appropriate clothing for men. But his eyes shot open when he heard her giggle.

"This does not give you permission to imagine me in a dress." He quickly added.

"Who says I need permission?" She answered as she grabbed a slice of lemon to keep her hands busy.

They reached for their glasses at the same time and Regina, deciding not to act so recklessly especially in front of someone she was trying to be extra careful; only took a small sip of the transparent liquid.

"What's your guilty pleasure?"

"Really?" She asked, eyeing him.

"Why not?"

Regina had tons of guilty pleasures; from kinds of fast foods she would never admit to liking to the countless nights she had spent alone in her bedroom, a hand between her thighs and writhing under the blanket but of course she had no intention to disclose the truth to him. Her pleasures were for herself only and the last thing she needed was him knowing any weak spot of hers. So giving it a bit of thought, she answered carefully.

"80s music."

"What's that?"

Oh right, he wasn't even there during the 80s…

"You wouldn't want to know." She quickly answered before changing the subject as she took another sip of her tequila and ordered another. She wasn't supposed to get drunk, she knew she wasn't, but the alcohol was slowly making her feel at ease and she was beginning to like the confidence it was giving her. The consequences were going to be horrible, her mind screamed at her, but it didn't stop her from drinking the next glass the barkeeper offered her and she asked her question.

"How about you? What's _your _guilty pleasure?" She smiled and she owed it to the alcohol.

"Hmm I'd say bossy women."

"Why? Does it turn you on?" She asked, her smile widening substantially.

"No, they're challenging." He replied and took a drink.

Regina was going to stop there, she was supposed to stop. They were approaching a dangerous subject but unable to control herself, she asked after a beat.

"So what _does _turn you on?" She tried to look him in the eye but when he stared right back at her in surprise and raised his eyebrows, she suddenly felt shy and tore her gaze away from him, almost embarrassed to ask a question like that.

"Scent."

His answer startled her. All of a sudden, she found herself looking back into his eyes as her mind darted back to that very morning where he had pulled her to his chest and buried his nose deep into her neck. Drawing a sharp breath, her cheeks blushed at the memory before he added.

"Something about a woman's scent. I just can't resist it."

Was he doing this on purpose? Was he knowingly referring to the short lived moment they had spent in the privacy of the bathroom? Regina didn't know but when she met his gaze, she realized they weren't absent of emotion, instead he was looking at her with a hint of playfulness and a half smile which caused her heart to beat a little bit faster than the usual.

"What turns_ you_ on?" He suddenly asked.

The alcohol must be really affecting her if she was really considering answering that question. Before she knew it, the words left her mouth.

"Blue eyes."

The slice of lemon he had just picked up from the plate fell right back into it as he froze in surprise, unsure if she was talking about him or not.

"In general, I mean." She quickly added, cursing at herself for being too obvious.

Still, her words had the desired effect on him as his gaze lingered on hers, unable to look away.

There was tension in the air, a tension she didn't ask for and yet their game which had started out innocent and had the promise of fun, had turned into something much more intimate and she didn't know whether to ask another question or sit there, absolutely terrified. Before she had a chance to think it through, he decided for her and spoke.

"Do you like anyone?"

"Do you?" She instantly spat back.

"I'll tell if you will." He replied with a smirk.

"There's no way I'm telling you." She said and averted her gaze as she desperately tried to hide the blush on her cheeks.

"Me neither then."

Robin's answer was simple, of course he liked someone. The same someone who was sitting right across from him, asking him that question but he wasn't willing to confess that little fact if he wasn't getting the same out of her. The last thing he wanted to do was to embarrass himself.

Of course, he had sensed the queen's attraction to him, the way she jumped whenever he came near or how her breathing changed every time they were close enough. But he was afraid that it was only an attraction, an infatuation that would only end with them satisfying their hunger followed by an immediate awkwardness resulting with them not seeing each other again. No, that was the last thing he wanted. He wanted so much more with her…

So much more.

Those were the thoughts that kept his mind occupied as he absent-mindedly took another gulp of his drink.

"How did you lose your virginity?" She suddenly asked.

He raised his eyebrows and turned to her. He instantly smiled when he watched her stifling a giggle, the alcohol was really getting to her.

"A girl named Joanne. We were sixteen and her father had a barn." He answered without hesitation or embarrassment before he added:

"How about you?"

She sighed and turned her head towards the bar, eyeing her drink. Seeing the glass empty, she quickly ordered another one and downed that in one gulp, unaware of Robin's impressed stare on her. If she was going through this game, being sober was not an option. As she finally started to feel the effects of alcohol on her, making her dizzy, she closed her eyes and answered.

"Daniel, our stable boy. When we were 18."

So Daniel was an old lover who passed away then… The more his story was revealed to him, the more Robin felt sorry for her. He had been through the pain of losing a loved one and his heart ached at the thought of she had been through the same thing. He nodded and deciding not to pressure her any further, asked another question.

"What's your relationship with the Dark One?"

She widened her eyes and scoffed at his question.

"Rumplestiltskin? Why? Are you jealous?"

"Just curious." He shrugged. It was a lie.

"He was my mentor."

"That's it?"

"It's.. complicated." She sighed before running her hand through her hair and Robin's eyes were immediately drawn to the gesture.

The game went on like this with them shooting different kinds of questions at each other, laughing at the answers as they both occasionally did tequila shots. When the taste started to become too bitter for Regina, she ordered the next glass with salt on it and Robin watched with hungry eyes as she licked it off from the brim of the little shot glass before downing it and reaching for the lemon. The one thing he was liking more than anything was her laughter growing louder by each passing second. The uneasiness was slowly fading away from her eyes and he was enjoying every minute of it. She was getting comfortable around him and he had tried to remember if he had ever seen her like this before. Yes he had, when they were with Roland at the park.

She had been so beautiful then, just like she was now.

Robin was having difficulty prying his eyes off of her as he also started to feel the effects of alcohol on him. He was growing bold as he started asking her questions he never would have imagined asking if they were sober. The strange thing was, she was answering every single one of them without hesitation.

"What's your favorite position?" He suddenly blurted out when the conversation got sexual.

She gasped in a way that caused her lips part and she slowly licked them, tasting the salt before giving him a sly smile.

"Wouldn't you like to know…" She replied, and without a second thought, she leaned into him. She was glad to watch him do the same as she brought her lips closer to his ear and whispered.

"Let's say that my favorite position doesn't require a bed."

He gulped at her answer as she watched him swallow hard and lean back a little bit only to stare into her eyes with the utmost astonishment. Upon seeing his reaction, she let out another joyous laughter and reached for a slice of lemon.

Making sure that he was still watching her, she slowly traced the sour fruit on her lips before licking them ever so slowly, causing his heart to beat faster at the sight of it. Enjoying the reaction she was getting out of him, she took the lemon in her mouth as she sucked on it, letting out a low moan on purpose as she watched him adjust in his seat, eyes glued to her lips.

"When was the last time you had sex?" She asked in a deep, sultry voice.

"It's been a while." He replied with a sigh.

The barkeeper dropped by to bring a couple of more shots and Regina reached for one immediately after he left.

"How often do you masturbate?"

She knew this question was coming. The sober Regina would gasp in surprise before leaving the bar offended. But she wasn't the sober Regina anymore, no, tonight she didn't really care about what she would normally do. So instead she shrugged and answered.

"Whenever I'm inclined to."

A hint of playfulness flashed her eyes before she leaned into him again once more and added in a dark voice:

"Despite the time or the place."

Robin barely stopped herself from doing a spit take as his eyes grew wide with surprise and his mind drifted off to various times and places where Regina could have pleasured herself.

She was enjoying this way too much. She had the upper hand in a game which he had started and she had him wrapped around her finger. Grinning, she leaned towards the bar and quietly sipped her drink.

"You are torturing me." came his soft reply.

"I like it, don't you?" She answered with a smirk.

"Do I look like I do?"

"Oh, I think you do." She observed, a smile playing her lips before she added. "And I think you want more of it."

"Really?" He asked and suddenly he was closer to her than she expected as he gently traced his finger on her knee, the bare skin exposed by her mini skirt that was slightly hiked up. She drew a sharp breath and gazed deep into his eyes.

"What does it take to satisfy you?" His voice startled her.

_You._

Thankfully the word died in her throat. Parting her lips, she watched his stare go back and forth between her mouth and brown eyes, she let him have his moment of mystery and anticipation before pulling away with a shrug.

"You couldn't handle satisfying me." She lied but her eyes were glimmering with mischief and she was enjoying the reactions she was getting from him.

"I beg to differ." He looked at her challengingly and millions of scenarios flashed her mind with her screaming and writhing underneath him.

The night went on, full of laughter and subtle innuendoes on both their parts and when the barkeeper came to stood beside them, clearing his throat, Regina remembered the check the time. It was late, very late that when they looked around, they failed to spot another living soul in the almost empty bar and they realized it was closing time.

Her reaction was another laugh before she took a breath and placed one high heel clad foot on the floor. She tried to stand up but when she stumbled forward and his arms immediately caught her and kept her from falling, she let out a giggle and held on to him.

"Careful." He smirked at her.

With her hands on his upper arms, she tried to help him stand up also but he wasn't that good at it. They both stumbled, their tight grip on each other keeping them from making an embarrassing scene as they both laughed at each other's clumsiness. The barkeeper just sighed and walked away.

#

The cold weather hit Regina when they left the bar as she shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. The dizziness was getting the best of her. Part of her wanted to get to her bed and go to sleep immediately after but another part of her was still alive and was throwing dangerous looks at the man next to her.

Robin examined his surroundings, as he squinted his eyes and looked around. There wasn't a single person outside. When he turned to her, he saw her visibly tremble.

"Cold, my lady?" He asked as he swayed to the side a bit and thankfully held on to the street lamp that was situated nearby.

"I'm not as cold as I think you are drunk." She replied, her syntax betraying her horribly.

"Me? I'm not drunk! I'm the soberest person in this town!" He exclaimed with joy but his voice came out a bit louder than he intended.

"You are even drunker than me!"

"That is a lie!"

She tried to walk towards him but staying on her feet was turning out to be quite the challenge. Thankfully he reached for her first and before she knew it, she was enveloped in his arms, both keeping her warm and helping her stand still.

"Let's go to the uhmm…" She tried to say but the right words refused to come to her mind.

"The room?" He completed her sentence for her.

"Yeah, the room!"

"Our room?" He said with a chuckle and was glad to watch her do the same as they started walking towards the direction of the Granny's.

"Shut up."

"You shut up."

She lightly hit his chest which only caused him to tighten his grip around her and she'd be lying if she said she didn't enjoy the feeling.

Thankfully the walk from The Rabbit Hole to the Granny's was short and when they finally reached the Bed and Breakfast, Regina was giggling over something Robin had said, and he was desperately shushing her to stifle her laughter. Much to his amusement, she was failing miserably.

When they made it into the building, Robin knocked down an expensive looking vase which was sitting peacefully on a table outside of the Granny's and the vase fell to its death as Regina cried out in laughter, supporting herself by leaning against the wall.

"Sshh, we'll wake her up."

However they realized it was too late when they heard Granny's mumbling something from inside her own room and panic appeared in Robin's eyes.

"I'm so sorry! I'll replace it!" He yelled and quickly ushered the still laughing Regina out of the hallway before Granny could leave her room.

When they finally reached their door, Regina struggled with the key a bit before opening the door and letting them in.

They were still laughing when they closed the door behind them and she stumbled forward with a giggle. His arms still around her, holding her tight, he swayed to the side and without realizing, caused her to lose her balance. She fell on the bed with a shriek and because he was holding her tightly, he followed right suit and fell on top of her with a yelp. He tried not to crush her, really did, but it was practically impossible since he was even having trouble walking. But it seemed his efforts only made her laugh harder and she sounded like she was enjoying the extra close proximity so he didn't mind.

She hadn't even believed that they would make it this far with their drunken selves and she was glad to be finally in the privacy of their room. Now here, lying on her back with him on top of her, she let out a sigh. Still feeling dizzy, she spoke.

"You can't even walk straight."

"Look who's talking." He said right back, looking down at her.

He was right. She had no right to accuse him of anything when she was in the same state as he was.

She didn't reply. Instead, she opted for staring into his eyes. The room was dark; both of them having forgotten to turn on the light when they walked in and now she was partially glad for it because it hid the desire that was clouding her features. The moonlight illuminated the room and it only made the grey tones in his blue eyes stand out and she was drawn to them like she was hypnotized.

She slowly raised her hand and brought it to his face, unaware of her actions, as if she was in a trance. The air was thick with thirst and Regina was having difficulty breathing as her finger traced the side of his brow all the way down to his lower lip and came to rest there.

He sucked in a sharp breath as he felt a shiver go down his spine. It was amazing how her touch could stun him in silence as he found himself unable to tear his gaze from hers. Her brown eyes seemed a shade lighter in the faint moonlight, making her look younger and innocent, something he wasn't used to seeing. Her hair was spread on the mattress, her black locks looking messier than ever and he realized he liked her like this even more.

She was a vision that he'd like to drink in. If she would just give him the chance…

His gaze switched to her lips, slightly moist and her breathing changed, becoming more ragged. She was still staring intently at him, studying every single line and wrinkle on his face. It was intimate and she was excited.

The next lines she spoke, she knew she owed them to the boldness and courage alcohol provided for her.

"I want to…" She breathed out, not tearing her gaze from his lips as her thumb slowly stroked his bottom lip.

"Me too…" He said, closing his eyes, trying to resist the feeling of crashing his lips into hers. The more he looked, the harder it was getting.

"Just once." She replied in a haze, her body craving his touch more than oxygen.

Still supporting himself on his elbows, he shifted his weight to his left one as his right hand came to rest on her hair and his fingers brushed through her hair, a gesture he had been wanting to do for a very long time. She sighed in longing and let his fingers dance in her hair.

"We promised Emma." He answered her, gazing deep into her eyes.

"I won't tell if you won't." She suddenly said, desperate to feed the hunger that had settled deep in her stomach. At that point, she didn't even care about the stupid bet with Emma. She needed this; she needed to feel his lips on hers.

She needed him.

"Just once?" He made sure but deep down he knew that once he tasted her lips, there was no going back. His face was inching closer to hers and he didn't know if he had the patience to wait for her answer.

"Mmmh…" She mumbled and felt his breath on her lips. Her eyes fluttered close as she opened her mouth slightly, shivering with anticipation for his next move.

His hand fell to her neck, cradling her jaw as he finally lowered his mouth to hers, fully intent on taking every last thing she offered. Their lips found each other and Regina instantly let out a low moan and opened her mouth further to give him access.

Yes…

His lips felt wonderful against hers as he kissed her deeply. She could still taste the hint of tequila in his mouth. When he slid his tongue into her mouth and she welcomed him with a sigh, his hand on her neck trailed down only to slide inside her coat and find her waist. He grabbed it tight and deepened the kiss, drawing out another moan from her which only encouraged him to kiss her harder.

A pool of dark need spread within her, growing deeper with each shallow breath she took.

Regina tasted better than Robin could have imagined. He still couldn't remember the exact events that lead to this moment, given that he was still in his drunken haze. One minute they were at the bar, having drinks and laughing and the next, he was kissing her like there was no tomorrow.

He groaned inwardly, sliding his tongue against hers. At that moment he was aware of nothing but her, moaning and whimpering underneath him.

She let him kiss her deeper, feeling the sensation all the way to her groin as her hand went to his neck, bringing him even closer to her and he groaned in approval. Her heart hammered in her chest as she felt him slightly bit down her lower lip and in return she freed one leg from underneath him and hooked it around his waist, thankful for the fact that she wasn't wearing a tight skirt.

A voice deep in her mind yelled at her to stop but she couldn't find the power in herself as she kissed him even more frantically, having no intention to tear her lips from his just yet.

His hand left her waist and came to stroke her upper leg, feeling her skin getting exposed by the slit the skirt provided for him as she hummed in appreciation under him. Next thing she knew, she was grinding against him, arousal pooling in her underwear as she tightened her grip on his shoulders.

It was supposed to be just one kiss.


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you Jordan for the beta!**  
**And thank you all who have been reading and reviewing this story! I've also read your comments on Twitter and they make my day! Thank you so much!  
I'm glad people are reading this story! :D**

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She had to stop.

She knew that was supposed to be it, they had agreed on just one kiss. So then why did her arms betray her by pulling him even closer and her lips ignore the frantic cries of her brain and kissed him even harder? Could she blame this on the alcohol? No, she couldn't even make herself believe that lie; alcohol only gave her the courage she needed to do this.

God it felt good…

She didn't know when was the last time a man kissed her like that, claimed her like she was some kind of a drug that he was addicted to, and when Robin growled against her skin and left her lips only to find her neck and latched onto it, licking and sucking, she knew no one had done this to her before.

No one kissed her like Robin did, and when he lifted his head and gazed deep into her eyes, she realized no one looked at her like Robin did also.

She felt her insides burn against his touch and his locked stare on her only made her want to give in to him completely, let him claim her all over like he had been wanting to for all those days they spent together.

She could tell that he wanted to keep going and she wanted that too, God knew how much as her body craved his lips on hers and she impatiently grinded against him, rubbing her crotch to his, eliciting a groan from him. She could feel his length pressing the inside of her thigh and it made her feel delicious inside.

However he didn't continue like she had been anticipating him to. Instead he stopped altogether and opted for bringing the hand that had been resting on her thigh to her face as he stroked the skin there gently. She had been enjoying his rough kisses but she realized she came to like the sudden tenderness that he was showing her now as she closed her eyes and leaned into his touch, no matter how much she wanted him to keep going.

If she could just get him to bring his lips to hers again-

They were both startled when the loud and annoying ring tone of Regina's phone echoed in the room and she let out a long sigh.

Who the hell was interrupting at this time of the night?

Robin was thankful. If it wasn't for the interruption, he knew he wasn't going to be able to stop himself and he had promised her. It was going to be just one kiss and it sort of was; even though it was a lot more passionate and handsy than he had intended and he internally scolded himself for losing control so easily. But after all this was what she did to him. She made him lose control.

Groaning, he tried to get up but with the alcohol still invading his body, he moved a lot sloppier than he normally would, crushing her a bit in the process. Her reaction was just another giggle and it made him almost stop and join her back on the bed.

Almost.

Closing his eyes and forcing the thought away, he swayed a bit on his feet before reaching for Regina's bag which had been tossed on the floor so carelessly when they walked in just a couple of minutes ago and began shuffling through it. After a couple of seconds of fruitless attempts, he finally found the small device which was the source of the loud annoying sound and tried to read the flashing screen which made his eyes hurt in the dark.

"It's Emma."

"God, is she watching us or something?" Regina sighed, supporting herself on her elbows to look at him.

"Aren't you going to answer?" he asked, walking over to her as he came to stop right in front of the bed, facing her.

Smiling, Regina sat up and supported herself on her knees on the bed as she grinned proudly at how she was almost at the same height as he was. Standing up was still a challenge and she had no intention to try it.

"Let's ignore it."

"As the lady wishes." He replied with an amused smile before pressing the ignore button on the phone.

"Well well, you're beginning to learn how to use technology." Regina commented in an almost mocking tone as her hands slowly snaked up to his arms and she brought him an inch closer to herself.

"Of course I am. For instance this button right here…" he started shuffling with the phone before spotting exactly what he was looking and he smiled proudly at himself.

"…takes pictures!"

"Oh really?"

"Care for me to demonstrate?" he asked, chuckling before earning a happy nod from her.

It was almost strange how comfortable they were in each other's company, especially when they were drunk. The tension that was present between them when they were sober was nowhere to be seen as they were left with the honest and raw versions of themselves who didn't care about anything else except for each other.

So wanting to see more of her smile, Robin took a couple of steps back and left her embrace, his body instantly missing the warmth. And before she could erase the confused look on her face, he snapped the photo of her.

"What are you doing?" she asked even though she knew the answer to her question as she eyed him playfully.

"Aren't you going to smile for me?"

"That depends." She answered, crossing her arms in front of her. "What do I get in return?"

"Pictures?" he tried, as he took a step closer and took another photo of her, this time just her face.

"Well Mr. Locksley, if you want me to smile for you, you're just gonna have to make me." she replied but deep down she was trying very hard not to burst into laughter. So instead, she bit the insides of her cheeks to keep herself from smiling.

Loving the sight in front of him, Robin took another step towards her and snapped another photo, reminding himself to keep those for later.

"Is that so?" another step and now he was standing right in front of her, dangerously close as he eyed her up and down.

"Yes." She raised her chin and gave him a challenging look in return.

"Well then… How about…"

Without completing his sentence he hurled himself to her and in a matter of seconds they were laying back on the bed with Regina trapped under him on the mattress as he laid on top of her. The sudden and unexpected move made her even dizzier as she let out a shriek mixed with laughter, not caring if she woke the others guests or not.

"There we have it." With that, he straddled her, keeping her from escaping his embrace as he sat down, careful not to put his whole weight on her body and snapped another picture of her. This time he had captured her smile and he stopped for a moment to appreciate his work on her phone all the while she squealed and struggled to crawl away from between his legs.

"Let me go!" she yelled, loud enough to wake the whole town.

"Not a chance."

With that his concentration was back and he was taking more pictures of her, smiling, laughing and covering her face with her hands. Once he decided that he had tortured her enough, he flopped back on the bed, coming to lie right next to her as he held the phone as high as his arm could reach and snapped a picture of them together.

"Stop it!" she giggled and hid her face in the crook of his neck.

"One more."

"No!"

"Look at me."

It was something about his tone of voice that made Regina stop laughing for a second only to raise her head and meet his gaze. There it was, the look that made her insides melt every time she witnessed it, the look he had reserved just for her mixed with a tender smile which made her want to kiss it away. His eyes were soft, full of what she thought to be adoration because she couldn't bring herself to admit those four letter words. Part of her screamed at her that this was all an illusion, that the breath taking smile he was giving her was just alcohol affecting his judgment but today the last thing she wanted to do was to listen to that annoying voice so with a sigh she buried it deep inside of her and inched her face closer to his.

He closed the rest of the gap as his lips brushed hers first, ever so slightly that she wasn't even sure if they were even touching or not. Then unable to contain himself, even though he had promised himself that he wanted to be gentle with her, he increased the pressure of his lips on hers and pressed his mouth to hers.

It had been minutes but it seemed like forever since they'd last kissed and he took his time about it. He loved her lips. Loved the way her tongue dipped out and teased her lips. He loved the ragged catch of her breathing as if surprised by her reaction to the simple display of affection.

He was sure that he also got a couple of shots of them kissing but when she cupped his face and deepened the kiss once more, the camera phone was long forgotten on the side and he was kissing her with equal passion. With a loud moan, her lips left his only to give him a wicked smile as she climbed on top of him.

She straddled him and watched him give her a surprised look before his hands found the camera once more and brought it in front of his face, having every intention to document this beautiful creature who was giving him the sexiest grin right now.

However before he had a chance to snap another photo, she brought a hand to his wrist, stopping him as she shook her head and spoke.

"Drop that phone. This is for your eyes only."

His only reaction was to raise his eyebrows in question as she boldly took the phone from his hands and tossed it aside as they both heard the device dropping on the floor with a thud.

Giving him a one last sly smile, she brought her hands in front of her as her fingers found the top button of her shirt. His eyes watched hungrily as she unbuttoned her overpriced shirt ever so slowly only to reveal a black push up bra. She never once tore her gaze away from his as she watched him watch her.

Had she ever felt this connected to another human being? She could swear her heart was beating in rhythm with his.

When the last button was undone and the front of her torso was completely revealed to him clad only in the lacy bra that Emma probably found for her from the bottom of her wardrobe, Robin only laid there, hypnotized by the sight before him.

But before she had a chance to tease him about it, ask him if he was scared maybe, his hands were on hers and he flipped them over so he was now on top. His lips hungrily attacked her neck as he kissed, sucked and bit the sensitive skin there, making her moan and writhe underneath him. Her hands came to his shoulders as she dig her nails into his shirt and felt him leaving various marks on her neck that were probably going to be very hard to hide the next day. But she found herself not caring in the slightest.

A small voice in the back of her head tried to sound a warning, but as he brought his lips to find hers again and her tongue slid against his with her breasts rubbing against his chest, it grew softer and softer until she no longer heard it all.

It felt amazing, every single thing he was doing to her was amazing. His mouth was soft and hot against hers and he occasionally bit her bottom lip only to hear her hiss against his teeth and sink her nails deep into the skin on the back of his neck. One of his hands went to cup her breast over her bra and she let out a moan, desperate for him to push the bra aside and feel the actual skin there. But instead he stopped his movements altogether, still panting as he raised his head and watched her face.

"Robin?" she questioned breathlessly at his sudden change of heart. She had been enjoying everything so far and urging him to keep going so his unexpected pause brought a frown to her face.

"We can't do this." He confessed, closing his eyes.

"What?"

"Regina…" with that his face was back on the crook of her neck as he placed one more kiss on her collarbone before bringing his gaze to her face again.

"We can't. I can't…" he repeated one more time, the desperation and misery present in his voice.

She brought a hand to his face before looking deep into his blue eyes, still out of breath from their last kiss. Her hair was disheveled and her lips were slightly red and bruised which made Robin's heart skip a beat knowing that he was the cause of it.

"Of course we can." She assured him before bringing his face to hers as she crashed her lips to his one more time. He responded for a moment only to pull away and rest his forehead against hers.

"No…"

"Robin?" the confusion was present in her slightly trembling voice.

"Please Regina…"

Suddenly her eyes grew wide as she was dawned with realization. She felt a pang of disappointment in her heart, the feeling getting stronger in her chest by each passing second before she drew a shaky breath and spoke with a voice that was barely above a whisper.

"You don't want this." She stated, attempting to pull away from him but much to her surprise, his grip on her waist only tightened.

"No-"

"You don't want me." She spoke and her words created open wounds in his heart.

"Regina-"

"No, Robin!" with that she harshly pulled away from him as she pushed herself back on the bed.

"I forced you. I'm sorry…" she was stuttering, not knowing what to say. How stupid had she been… Feeling the tears pool around her eyes, she turned her gaze away from him, not wanting him to see the embarrassment manifesting in her.

"It won't happen again… I-"

Before she could finish her sentence, his mouth was on hers as he shut her up with a rough kiss and before understanding what was going on, she was underneath him again, pulled back to him by his strong arms.

"Robin?" she managed to choke out between his lips.

"I want you." He growled against her skin before placing another open mouthed kiss on her lips.

"What?"

"I want you." He repeated one more time, louder this time as he pulled back a bit to meet her gaze.

"But-"

"I want it Regina, more than anything. But not like this. Never like this." He explained.

When she raised her eyebrows in question, he added.

"You're drunk and I am too. I want you to be with me because you really want to, not when you're going to regret it the first thing in the morning. I can't do that to you."

"Don't be an idiot, of course I'm not gonna-"

"Yes you will Regina just trust me on this. I want this, God you have no idea how much…" with that he captured her lips in another passionate kiss and she returned it with equal desire that has been burning inside of her since they first stepped into that room together.

"But we can't…" he finished, whispering against her lips.

Before she had a chance to object, he left her embrace and stepped out of the bed, leaving her still lying on the mattress with a frown on her face, trying to process that he really was rejecting her.

She sat up and followed him around with her eyes as he gave her a smile in return and took off his shirt and pants before coming to lay down right next to her.

"Sleep?"

"Are you kidding me?"

"No, we need sleep."

It seemed the effects of alcohol were slowly fading away from him unlike her who was still buzzing from all the tequila she had consumed. Why did she have to be such a lightweight?

With a groan, she shuffled in bed, her hands struggling to find the zipper of the skirt that she had chosen to wear today and when she found it, she freed herself from the very tight garment that had been giving her pain the minute they walked into the room, drunk. Tossing it aside, she turned to her side, only to see his eyes hungrily roam over her body and coming to stop on the matching black underwear she was wearing.

She had to thank Emma for that.

Upon seeing the effect she was having on him, she let out a girly giggle and got under the covers, positioning herself right next to him. He didn't need to be told twice as his hands found her hips and she turned away from him in his arms, her back pressing against his chest.

He let out a content sigh and allowed himself to bury his nose in her hair and breathe in. She was intoxicating and he found it hard to control himself, but the task was getting difficult given the fact that his half erection was resting right on her ass. Closing his eyes, he tried to think of anything but the woman who was about to go to sleep in his arms, the woman he had been dying to touch and kiss all day. His mind darted back to the memory of her half sitting on the pool table, her skirt hiked up mid-thigh.

His erection got even harder and he mentally kicked himself for it.

Apparently his struggle hadn't gone unnoticed by her and with a smile on her lips, she rubbed her rear to his crotch ever so slightly. She stopped and waited for his reaction. When it didn't come she rubbed her ass to his front one more time and his hips jolted so suddenly that it caused her to let out a moan.

"Behave." Came the low voice from right next to her ear.

Giggling one more time, she let her fingers slowly trace her neck and breasts and her hand came to stop on his hand which was firmly placed on her stomach, holding her close to himself. She let her fingers dance around his skin, the ghost of her touch sending shivers down his spine, as she gently grabbed his hand and moved it downwards.

For a second he let her, closed his eyes and leaned into her touch, curious to see where she was going with this but when his fingers touched the hem of her underwear and came dangerously close to the wetness that had formed on the lacy garment, and she shuddered, he jolted back to reality and moved his hand away from hers.

"Regina…." He warned her one last time.

"Please, Robin." She whimpered, turning in his arms so she was now facing him. He noticed there were only inches between their lips but he ignored the thought.

"Emma doesn't have to know." She leaned in and placed a feather like kiss on his neck before looking up and locking her gaze with hers.

Resisting her was getting harder by the second.

"This is not about Emma."

"Then let's do it." A smile appeared on her lips as she lifted one leg and hooked it on his hip, bringing them dangerously close to each other even though they were both still clad in their underwear.

"I need you." She whimpered and upon hearing those words, he almost ignored every single warning his mind was throwing at him and claimed her his.

But he didn't. He stopped himself the last minute.

"I'll tell you what, sleep now and when you wake up if you still want to do this then I swear I'm going to take you so hard that you won't be able to walk for days."

She let out a loud laugh, not having heard him using that kind of a language before but when she looked back to him and saw the seriousness in his eyes, her laughter died in her throat and she stared at him with her eyebrows raised.

"Is that a promise?" she asked in a challenging way.

"Oh yes."

She grinned before bringing her face even closer to his, their lips now slightly brushing.

"One last kiss then?" she breathed out, her voice not above a whisper.

"Always."

With that, he captured her lips in a searing kiss and she let him invade her mouth as one of her hands came to cup his face. Grunting against her teeth, he ran his tongue across her bottom lip and tangled his fingers in her black hair, all the while pulling her closer to him.

When he reluctantly pulled away from her hot, inviting lips, she sighed in protest but she knew that was the only thing she was getting out of him tonight. So pecking his lips one last time to which he responded eagerly, with a small smile, she turned in his arms and rested her back on his chest.

"Goodnight Robin."

His arms tightened around her waist as he leaned into her to place a light kiss on her shoulder before he spoke.

"Goodnight love."

It was either laying still or the tequila that was still present in her blood but after that, she felt herself slipping into a deep sleep and she never woke up during the rest of the night.

#

The first thing that disturbed her peaceful sleep was the slight movement she felt coming underneath her. When she heard a slight cough and low groan, her eyelids flattered open but she instantly closed them when she noticed how bright the room was.

It was the morning and Regina felt like she had been hit in the head.

Forcing her eyes open, the first thing she realized was how bad her headache was getting by each passing second and she moaned in pain.

"Hurts, doesn't it?" he spoke and when she looked up, she found herself practically sleeping on top of Robin with his arms still enveloped around her tiny waist, his fingers gently caressing the bare skin there.

Wait… Bare skin?

Her head instantly shot up and she noticed that she was clad only in her matching underwear that she had so carefully put on yesterday.

"Why is it always…" she tried to speak but her voice came out groggy. Clearing her throat, she tried one more time.

"Why is it always that I have to wake up in your arms?"

"We should just accept our fate…" he replied, bringing one hand to his head to rub his temple. He was in pain also although it was nothing compared to hers who had apparently drank way more than he did last night.

"I'm not accepting anything. Hands off."

His hands shot up like a someone was directing a gun at him and she allowed herself to roll away from his embrace and laid down on her back right next to him. Wincing at the pain one more time, she stared at the ceiling before asking the question that was invading her mind from the minute she woke up.

"Robin?"

"Hmm?"

"Did we…"

"No, we didn't." he answered her question and she let out a relieved sigh.

"Although it was hard for you to keep your hands away from me." He added with a smirk, turning to her and supporting himself on his elbow.

"Shut up." She grabbed the pillow that was closest to her and hit him on the shoulder with it which caused him to groan in fake pain.

"Do you remember anything?" he asked, suddenly feeling concerned that he caused her to lose her memory.

"I remember playing pool, drinking… and uhm… kissing."

"And?" he asked with an amused smirk.

"And that you lost your virginity in a barn."

"Yes, the most important detail of the night." He said sarcastically with a grin and was glad to see her smile back.

She was lying down, mostly avoiding his eyes as her gaze was fixed on the ceiling, occasionally throwing him stolen glances that she thought he wouldn't notice. Her hair was a mess, dark locks spread lazily on the pillow that she was resting on and her mascara was smudged. The pitch black make up was now gathered around and underneath her eyes giving her a messy look that Robin came to adore.

Apart from that, she was still in her underwear but after waking up she had draped the covers on her body, covering her half nakedness. Suddenly her voice turned serious and she turned and addressed him.

"Thank you for last night." She said in the most sincere tone. So she did remember.

"It's nothing."

"No it's not nothing. Any other guy would have-"

"Regina." He said, placing his hand on hers on the white sheets.

"I did what I was supposed to do. You don't have to thank me." He added, taking away all her worries as she stared back at him with gratitude.

"And I'm sorry." She said after a beat of silence. "This is not going to happen again."

He froze upon hearing her words, a pang of disappointment forming in his chest and he felt obliged to remove his hand from hers, eyes looking anywhere but her brown ones. He had made her a promise last night and now it seemed that he wasn't going to be able to keep it.

He cursed at himself for expecting something from her as he laid back down on the bed and nodded slowly. He wasn't going to be able to touch her the way he did last night.

And for some reason, his heart ached in his chest more than it should.


	11. Chapter 11

**Big shoutout to my beta Jordan and my two awesome gals Melis (oh-my-helena) and Firuze!**

**Got a couple of reviewers I'd like to thank for their awesome and constant reviews: evilregalthings, Guest: 1324 (you make my day!), mysterious-song, willow141 (oui je peux comprendre, merci!), Henley B, deuxieme-etoile-a-droite, Outlawqueenalways, pt159, whataworldwelivein, Listhefan, littlefrecklesinmyface, Caroline-Angel, JustFangirlingIt, joyndoug97, Fand09m, Gleecrazy09**

**I'm sorry if I forgot a couple of people and there are countless Guests or Anons I'd like to thank but I don't know their names! You are all awesome and I read all your reviews! Thank you so so much!**

**To the people asking my Twitter name, its cagilarel and my Tumblr url is kissmyasthma95  
I check the #RoomService tag on Twitter.**

* * *

It had been torture, absolute torture to get dressed and leave that room without having another talk with Robin. She was embarrassed enough for her actions earlier so whenever he even gazed at her, she would avoid his eyes and quickly busy herself with whatever task was in front of her.

During one point in their fine morning, while she was busy applying makeup, well, reapplying it considering she hadn't even bothered to wipe it off the night before, she had made the fatal mistake of asking Robin if he could hand her the hair brush. He had been buttoning up his shirt and grabbing the hairbrush from the nightstand, he had walked into the bathroom, coming to stop right behind her. But instead of giving her the hairbrush like she had been expecting him to, he opted for brushing her hair himself, occasionally tangling his fingers in her hair, just to remind himself what it had been like last night.

She had stopped dead in her tracks when she realized what he was doing. Her hand, which she was using to apply her mascara, had frozen and she was left with staring at his reflection in the mirror, unable to speak or move. It felt so domestic, getting ready for the day together as he stood right behind her, clad in a half buttoned shirt and boxers, his chest occasionally bumping her back and brushing her hair like it was the most natural thing to do. She felt her heart skip a beat in her chest, but she couldn't say anything, couldn't form the words.

For a second she had let herself enjoy his gentle touch, his fingers and the brush in her hair were soothing her and slowly lulling her back to the sweet morning sleep she had been awakened from. But clearing her throat, she quickly gained back her control and continued applying her mascara, and before she knew it, he was done with her hair and was walking away from her. She had tried to ignore the disappointment in her chest but it was too strong so instead she had swallowed hard and reached for her crimson colored lipstick.

She had no idea what Robin did afterwards, muttering a soft goodbye after he was dressed and he had left the room without uttering another word.

Now here she was in her office, trying oh so very hard to concentrate on her work. She didn't even have to be there, having done most of her work the day before, she was mostly free but she had felt obliged come here. She had nothing else to do, with Robin leaving her so boldly that morning. She had found the cure in coming to her office and pretending like she was working, but she knew concentrating was a lost cause. She had spent the whole day on her laptop, trying to force herself to work but instead, playing some stupid game she had found on the internet.

So now her fingers were aimlessly moving around the keyboard, playing a cheesy game of Texas Poker she had found online and loosing fake money. It was stupid, what she did was stupid, and she hated herself for it. She wasn't some man craved crazy woman. She didn't need any man in her life.

So why had she jumped him the first chance she got?

Shaking her head and trying to bury the thought deep into her subconscious, she moved the cursor on the screen, going all in and she cursed under her breath when the river turned out to be Queen of Hearts, her opponent winning all her earnings and she was forced to step out of the game.

It seemed David thought this was a good idea to interrupt, so when he walked into her office with a smile on his face and a bag in his hand, he was practically beaming.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, turning her gaze away from the screen.

"Brought you dinner." He replied as he walked into her office.

"Why?"

"Thought you could use some company."

"Snow sent you." She eyed him carefully as he let out a chuckle and sat down on one of the chairs that was positioned right at the other end of her desk.

"No one sent me." He put the small bag in front of her as she observed the contents.

Cheap lasagna he had bought from Granny's.

"You are lying."

"Fine, Snow sent me." He finally said, leaning back into the chair.

"And I wanted to come." He added quietly.

Nodding, she pushed the food aside, not wanting him to know that her stomach was actually growling with hunger before he got there. She made a mental note it eat it after he was gone.

"What's going on?" he finally asked, watching her carefully.

"I'm losing at poker." She replied, shrugging nonchalantly.

"Don't reach for the stars. Look for pairs, not straight flushes and I meant with Robin."

"What about Robin?"

"Regina I know the bet with Emma. They are playing you, I was just asking if you were taking it well. I've seen you with Robin and you seem a little stressed around him."

"Of course I'm not stressed-"

She was interrupted when David gave her a knowing look and she decided to shut up and focused back on the screen while he kept talking.

"Look, you don't have to do this. You can leave that room whenever you want; you've got nothing to prove."

When she tore her gaze from the computer and looked at him, she only saw the tender friendly smile he was giving her and it caused her to smile back. He was being honest with her and unlike everyone else who was pressuring her lately, he was giving her her space. She appreciated that.

"They have to know I don't like him the way they think I do." She defended her case.

What she got in return was a casual smirk and for a second Regina guessed David thought the same thing too.

"Why are you so eager to prove yourself?"

"Because I'm-"

"You know what, don't answer. I was just asking if you were okay." He said, his features ever so gentle.

David was a handsome man and Regina could tell why Snow liked him so much.

"It's getting late. Where's Snow?" she asked, changing the subject as she glanced out the window and saw the weather getting darker. How many hours had she spent playing poker? Being so distracted, she had even forgot to have lunch… or dinner.

"At home, with Henry. They were worried about you."

"They don't have to be."

"But they are, if you could just-"

But before he had a chance to finish his sentence, the screen of Regina's computer flashed a couple of times before going dark and at the exact same moment the light went out too, leaving them in complete darkness.

"What the-"

"What's going on?"

"Is it a power outage?" David asked, instantly getting up and walking over to the window. It wasn't completely dark out yet, you could still see what's in front of you but David was sure in a couple of hours the night was going to fall and they were going to be left in darkness, judging by the fact that no other street lamp was working.

It was the whole town.

Regina's office was dark enough and she stood up, also coming to stand right next to David who was busy taking out his flash light. Silence surrounded them and Regina tried not to be spooked by the environment. Being stuck in her office with David wasn't exactly what she had planned for the evening. Her mind instantly darted back to Henry but she felt relieved when she remembered he was with Snow, safe. However the panic came back when she thought about Roland. She just hoped that Robin was with him.

"Who do you call in situations like this?" David asked, still looking out the window to see if there was anyone outside.

"The mayor."

"Oh…"

Shaking her head, she took out her cell phone and started fumbling with the buttons before bringing it to her ear and waiting for the person at the other end of the line to pick up.

"Yeah."

"Leroy, what's going on?!" she quickly questioned the man.

"No idea, I'm on my way to the power plant. I'll call you when I figure it out."

"Hurry up, my battery is dying, I won't be able to charge-"

But before she could finish her sentence, Leroy hung up and she sighed loudly.

"What's going on?!" a female voice called.

Regina turned around to see a flash light directed at her face as she covered her eyes and looked away in pain.

"Direct that thing away from me."

"Oh sorry." Emma said before moving the light away from her face.

"It's a power outage, Leroy is looking into it right now." She replied before adding. "What are you doing here?"

"It's the whole town Regina. I came to you because I'm the sheriff. Besides I was around here." The blonde replied, walking into the office.

"David was already here."

"How's Snow and Henry?" he asked her daughter, his voice filled with concern.

"They're back at the house."

David let out a relieved sigh before scratching his head in confusion. Shrugging, he started going through the drawers, looking for another flashlight or a candle. Emma joined him by looking through the other drawers of Regina's desk.

Before she had any time to get them off her beloved desk, Regina's phone rang and she answered it immediately the minute she saw the ID.

"Leroy?"

"There's a problem with the outlet that supports the infrastructure. The whole town is out, sister."

"Well? Can you fix it?" Regina asked to the phone as they all heard footsteps and when they looked up they saw two people enter the Mayor's office, looking confused as ever.

"What's happening?" Ruby asked walking into the room, followed by Victor.

"Power outage." Emma answered.

"Not right away." Leroy spoke to the phone and Regina let out a sigh.

This was stupid, they didn't need this. She was too tired to deal with it anyway and if Leroy couldn't fix it, she definitely could.

Holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, she raised her hands and flicked them. But instead of seeing the familiar purple smoke coming out of her fingers to fix this whole mess, she saw… nothing.

What?!

She tried one more time and nothing happened. Raising her head, she looked around and found everyone staring at her mixed with confusion and shock.

"Regina?" Emma stepped towards her.

"I can't use magic." She observed, taking a step back as she observed her hands, horrified. She felt like she was betrayed by her only talent.

"Hold on, let me try."

Emma also raised her hands and flicked her wrists, hoping to change their current condition and bring the electricity back, but just like Regina she was met with emptiness.

"I can't either…" she stated in confusion.

"Something must be blocking it."

"But what?"

"I have no idea." She replied before turning her attention back to the phone. "Leroy, fix this now."

"It's gonna take a couple of hours, sister."

Groaning, she muttered a quiet fine to the phone before hanging up and turning their attention to the group.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she finally looked at Ruby and Victor who were standing dangerously close to each other.

"We were taking a walk." Victor replied, one hand on Ruby's back.

"Yeah if you call that a walk." Ruby winked and giggled.

David turned his head away in disgust.

Bringing her hands to her face, Regina let out an exhausted sigh. She couldn't go out, it was pitch black. No street lamp was on and she was pretty sure it was practically impossible to find her way both to Granny's or her house. She was stuck with these people in her office for the time being. Just as she was about to turn her back and head for the drawers to find those damned candles, they heard footsteps again but this time, this person was running.

When she turned around, she was met with none other than her roommate, standing at the threshold and panting.

"Thank God you're okay…" Robin breathed out upon seeing Regina before stepping into her office, leaving her with a confused expression on her face.

What? What was he doing here?

David quickly walked over to his friend, putting a hand on his back.

"Why wouldn't I be?" she replied, raising her head slightly.

"It suddenly got dark outside and I thought…" he tried to speak but he was still out of breath from all the running. God knew how far he ran and for a second Regina's lips curled into a smile upon noticing how worried he was. But she quickly composed herself and cleared her throat.

"You don't need to check up on me, thief. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."

"I know that."

Before Regina could scold him any further, probably because she was still angry at how he walked out of the room that morning without a word, Emma interrupted them.

"It's a power outage. We are stuck here for a couple of hours."

"The power can go out?" Robin asked confused, finally regaining his breath. Victor smirked at him, knowing that this was probably the first time he was experiencing this.

"Yeah and we can't use our magic." Emma added, glancing at Regina who just rolled her eyes in return. "It's probably safer not to go outside right now. We don't know what's happening."

Suddenly, the panic overcame her and the brunette widened her eyes before facing Robin.

"Where's Roland?"

"With Little John, back at Granny's."

Letting out a relieved sigh, she walked away from him, not wanting to face the man that stressed her out any longer. That morning had been awkward enough between the two and now she was stuck here with them…

Great, just great…

It wasn't long before they were all sitting around the fireplace, looking bored out of their minds. Robin had started a little fire for them and Regina had found those candles in her bottom drawer and she had placed them on the coffee table. Victor had insisted that they would open the windows, saying how hot it was getting inside but David had argued against it, stating that they didn't know what was going on outside. Ruby had just watched them from where she was sitting all the while fixing her appearance from the little hand mirror she always carried in her bag, getting angry when she couldn't see her eyeliner in the dark.

Now Emma was sitting on a cushion that was placed right next to the fireplace, watching the flames dance around. Regina was on the couch with Robin sitting right next to her. She was practically glued to the arm of the sofa, trying to be as far away from him as possible but he didn't seem to care as he sat right in the middle of the couch, leaned back. He seemed to be watching the ceiling and frankly, Regina didn't care.

David was seated on an arm chair, fumbling with the flashlight as Regina watched him take the batteries out and put them in again. In and out. In again, then out. Shaking her head, she tore her gaze away from him and opted for watching the candles on the coffee table.

The only people completely okay with the situation were Ruby and Victor, sitting on the floor. She was between his legs and he had his arms wrapped around her, the two enjoying each other's company and when Victor leaned into her and whispered something in her ear, Ruby let out a girly laugh and Regina felt like throwing up. Since when had those two started going out anyway?

"So Emma, you and Killian huh?" Ruby suddenly spoke, turning everyone's attention to her.

"You and Victor, huh?" Emma mirrored the redhead's question with annoyance.

"Have you slept with him yet?"

David just groaned loudly and opted for looking at the floor when he heard Ruby's question.

"Have you?!"

"Alright you two!" Regina yelled at the both of them, causing Emma turn her attention back to the dancing flames as Ruby rolled her eyes and snuggled deeper into Victor's chest.

They were lucky if they could leave her office without a murder.

"So Regina…" Ruby started one more time and Regina could feel she wasn't going to like what she was about to say next.

"Hope you're making good use of the underwear I picked for you."

Regina's eyes widened in surprise as her head shot up to stare at the redhead, her eyes drilling holes into her soul as she felt Robin cringe and bring a hand to his face from where he was sitting. This was awkward, oh so very awkward as she watch him from the corner of her eye as he pressed his lips together and let out a silent chuckle.

Her eyes instantly turned to him and when they made eye contact, she silently warned him to keep his mouth shut, not to mention their drunken escapade which led to her showing him every part of the underwear Ruby picked for her. Thankfully he listened her for once in his life and nodded. The interaction didn't go unnoticed by Emma who frowned and gave them a confused look but they were both unaware of the blonde's eyes on them. Instead Regina shook her head, not wanting to believe that she was stuck there with them, she stood up.

"I'm going out to investigate."

"What?!" Robin was the first to speak from where he was sitting.

"Regina, you can't go out. You don't have magic." Emma argued, standing up and facing the brunette.

"Relax, I'm not leaving the building. I'm just going to look around. I'll let you know if I find something." With that she made a move towards the door, having every bit of intention to investigate the city hall but she stopped when she felt a hand on her arm.

"I'll come with you."

When she turned around, she saw Robin on his feet behind her, staring at her with determination in his eyes.

"You don't have to-"

"Robin's right, you need someone to go with you." David replied from where he was sitting.

"Yeah, take him with you. At least he knows how to fight…" Emma agreed with her dad.

"Are you suggesting that I wouldn't be able to protect myself?!" Regina barely stopped herself from yelling but her voice was loud enough to scare the couple snuggled on the floor.

"Without your magic, I don't think so." Robin said, a smirk playing his lips.

"How dare you! I am perfectly capable of-"

But the words died in her throat when Emma stood up as she pulled a gun from the back of her belt and handed to Robin.

"Just in case." She informed him as he took the gun from her hand.

"Thanks."

"Seriously?!"

"Regina, we're just taking precautions. Let Robin come with you." Emma said, rolling her eyes at her stubbornness.

"Fine but he'd better not get in my way." She had meant the words for him but she didn't even look him in the face once while she spoke to Emma and headed towards the exit, her high heels clacking on the marble floor.

Robin practically ran to catch up to her, as she walked in front of him, not even bothering to glance at him or check if he was still following her.

They checked a couple of other rooms, finding them empty as they quickly moved onto the other without uttering a word. The tension from that morning was still present between them. She could feel jolts of electricity radiating from him whenever he stood too close to her. She found it distracted her from her purpose so instead of investigating whenever they walked into a room together, she just let her eyes roam over the room once, moving on when she failed to spot anything unusual.

After the leaving the storage room which had turned out to be another waste of time, during which she could hear him sighing from behind her, she headed for the stairs she knew would get her to where she wanted.

"Where does this lead to?" Robin couldn't help but to ask when she started climbing up the grey-ish white stairs, her hands trying to avoid the rusty rails.

"The roof." She replied nonchalantly but she stopped dead in her track when she felt a hand on her arm. Turning around harshly, she faced his blue eyes and looked down at him. He was a couple of steps below her and she found herself liking their new angle.

"We can't go up to the roof." He warned her.

"Why? Afraid of heights, thief?" she gave him a one last smirk before pulling her arm away from his grip as she continued her journey up the stairs. Behind her, she heard him let out a silent curse before following her.

The stairs led to a big metal door and when Regina forced it open, not letting him help, Robin stepped into a small concrete area. The place was not designed for people to hang out in, so it was mostly empty except for the couple of plastic chairs which were practically dark grey with dust and dirt. There was a dead plant on the side and overall the place looked abandoned and secluded. There were a couple of steps at the other end, and it lead to the brick side of the roof, ascending downwards. It looked slippery and dangerous, and Robin could tell it was no place for kids, or adults for that matter.

But when he turned to look at Regina, he indeed saw her heading towards the exact steps he just swore himself to stay away from.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just gonna get a good look." She said before taking those last steps and place a high heel clad food on the red bricks.

"Regina no!"

"It's fine-" but the minute those words left her mouth, she felt the heel of her shoe get caught in one of the cracks on the roof tile which was furnished in a sloppy way thanks to the absence of increase in salary, and the decline in quality probably caused by years of bad weather and lack of renovation, and she felt her heart skip a beat.

Her foot slipped from underneath her as she let out a yelp instinctively flicking her wrists to save her from the deadly situation she was in but the lack of her magic proved to be a hinderance.

Just as she expected to fall down and begin ascending down the damned roof tiles, she felt an arm wrap around her midsection as she was pulled away in such a force that she crashed her back to a broad chest. The impact of her crash and absence of their balance caused Robin take a couple of steps back into the area where the roof didn't seem so dangerous and slippery before falling back on to the tiles and Regina landed right on his lap, his arms still holding her tightly.

They sat there for a second, without moving as they both breathed heavily with excitement mixed with immense fear that caused Regina's heart to pound heavily in her chest. His arms tightened around her waist and he pulled her even closer to himself and breathed out in relief against her neck.

"Oh thank God…" she heard him say from behind her and couldn't help but to place her hands on his forearms arms, still wrapped around her mid-section. She gave them a firm rub, silently comforting him with her touch.

"It's fine, I'm fine." She whispered but she couldn't truly make herself believe those words either.

It wasn't fine. She almost fell.

Her words failed to create an effect on him as he held her closer to his chest and inhaled her.

"Hey… I'm not going anywhere." she said quietly, turning her head slightly to the side to get a glimpse of his worried face and spoke softly, sending shivers down his spine.

"I'm right here."

* * *

**Hope you liked this chapter!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks to Jordan and Melis for helpful comments and a shout out to my best friend Zeynep who insisted on being called the gangster bitch... which is stupid...**

* * *

"Robin, you can let go now."

When she felt him shake his head from behind her and pull her closer to his chest, she let out an involuntary soft chuckle. The sound was music to Robin's ears.

He had almost lost her, without her magic she was defenseless. She still had her sharp tongue to scare away the people around her but this was the first time he had seen her helpless towards the dangers of the outside world.

She almost died, he thought. His mind darted back to just minutes ago when she had refused his help and wanted to go alone. What would have happened then? The heart wrenchingly paralyzing and depressing emotions flooded his chest, making his heart hurt as he struggled to breathe with the realization of it. The idea that she was going to be taken away by death was unacceptable to him. It was unacceptable being okay with her death.

He was not comfortable with the entropy that her falling would bring upon him. He needed her here with him.

He realized he didn't want to go through that again, the fear of losing her had been enough for a lifetime. So when she whined in his arms and struggled to be freed from his grip, he just tightened his arms around her and buried his nose into her hair.

He wasn't letting go of her again.

Somewhere during their unwanted cuddling session, at least on Regina's part, she had slipped away from his lap and was sitting in between his legs. She was now fully leaning against his chest, partially lying there and she realized she found some kind of comfort in their current position, even though she was never going to admit this to him. His legs were placed on either side of her and she rested her hands on his knees, the simple gesture made them at ease, comfortable and cozy in each other's company.

Silence surrounded them as they enjoyed each other, not having any need to say any words. When Regina realized he had no intention of untangling his limbs from hers, she simply accepted her fate and leaned into him even further.

"I had never seen the stars shine so bright." She suddenly spoke, her eyes gazing at the sky.

"Do you know how to find the North Star?" he asked, his gaze also at the pitch black sky.

"Of course I do. It's… that one." She replied, one hand shooting up to point towards a specific point.

When she heard him let out a low chuckle from behind her, she nudged his chest with her elbow and frowned.

"Sorry darling, that's not the one."

"You show me then, if you're so good at it." She raised her eyebrows at him, giving him a challenging look.

His brow furrowed as he turned his attention back to the dark sky, his eyes searching for the star she had asked him to point out. When he spotted what he was looking for, he let out an excited 'ha' before raising his hand and speaking.

"If you want to find the North Star, you gotta find the plough first."

"What's that?"

"It's a group of seven stars which'll help you find your way. Look." With that he pointed out to the sky, with one eye closed as he tried to show her the exact group of stars he was talking about.

"I can't see it." She whined in his arms, her eyes squinting to understand.

Upon hearing her fail to locate them, he just chuckled and brought a hand to hers as he laced their fingers together and raised them. He pointed out to the plough, and with his hand still clasped against hers, drew the outline of the constellation, helping her see it clearly.

"Oh… it looks kind of like a saucepan." She observed, her lips curving into a smile.

"Now next to it, there are pointer stars and if you follow that line…" he traced the imaginary line with his finger, their arms moving together in unison before he added.

"…you will find the North Star." He said, his breath tickling her cheek as his hand came to stop right on a big star, which shined brighter than all the others.

"I see it!" she replied, probably sounding a lot more excited than she wanted to. She didn't tear her gaze from it as she tried to ignore the butterflies in the pit of her stomach that his close proximity brought.

Their arms lowered together but instead of letting go of her hand, he locked their fingers together and rested them on her lap. Regina's stare was still fixed on the night sky and after a beat of silence he spoke, causing her to turn her attention towards him.

"You scared me." He said quietly.

"I know, I'm sorry." Since when had she started apologizing to him? She had no idea but she felt like she owed him this one. She could still feel his heart beating against his chest, probably not over the little stunt she had pulled just minutes ago.

"Don't ever do that again."

"I won't." she replied before adding quickly with a smile. "Besides, I have someone to watch my back for me."

"I won't always be by your side… unless you want me to."

Taking a deep breath, she spoke, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I wouldn't mind it."

She could feel him smiling right behind her, that smug bastard probably enjoying the reaction he was getting from her. She felt like she wanted get up and leave him there all by himself on the roof but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Instead, she rolled her eyes and snuggled deeper into his chest, something very unlike her but she relaxed when she felt him stroke the back of her hand softly with his thumb.

"The others are probably worried." She said but instead of making any moves to get up, she closed her eyes and rested her head in the crook of his neck, the wind caressing her skin.

"Five more minutes."

Yes because he needed those five more minutes, he needed more to tell himself that she was alive and tangible right in his arms.

It was more than five minutes later when they descended the stairs, side by side, throwing each other stolen glances and innocent smiles. Their shoulders occasionally bumped and their hands brushed against each other every so often and it took all the power Robin had in him to stop himself from just grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together.

But he didn't.

Instead he gave her another smile and they both headed towards the mayor's office with a new kind of glint in their eyes.

When they entered the room however, a whole different sight awaited them.

First thing that caught their attention was Victor standing at the other end of the room and… licking the glass? He had a disgusted look on his face and David was right beside him, with a satisfied smirked on his face. Ruby was desperately trying to get him to stop but all she was getting in return was Emma's laughter and loud cheers, urging him to continue.

"What the hell?!" Regina couldn't help but to yell.

Upon hearing her speak, they all stopped in their tracks and turned to the pair. All their faces screamed that they were busted and Emma just averted her gaze and sat on the armchair.

"We were playing truth or dare." The blonde replied.

"Yeah, that'll show Victor not to open the windows!" David spoke to Regina but his eyes were on Victor's who had stopped and stepped away from the window the minute they were interrupted.

"Could you be any more juvenile…" Regina sighed to herself and sat down on the couch, her eyes watching Robin sitting down right next to her. But this time, she wasn't glued to the arm of the couch, instead she found herself sitting closer to Robin, her thigh brushing against his ever so slightly.

"Let's make Robin play it then." Ruby suddenly blurted out, sitting back down on the floor, next to Victor as David walked over to the cushion that was placed right next to the fireplace and sat down on it, occupying his daughter's former seat.

"Absolutely not." Regina said.

"I don't even know how to play it." Robin replied from where he was sitting, his eyes filled with curiosity.

"It's easy. You pick truth; you have to answer the question truthfully. You pick dare, you have to do whatever the dare says, now…" Victor explained before adding, his voice filled with mischief.

"Truth or dare?"

"I shall go with the truth." Robin said, doubt flashing his eyes as he pondered for a moment. Was playing this game the right call? He could hear Regina sighing from next to him.

"Tell us your most embarrassing moment."

"Well that would be the time when I was by the lake and I had no pants on-"

"Oh my God! Don't answer it!" Regina finally blurted out, not being able to believe that he was actually being part of their stupid game.

"He has to!" Emma insisted.

"You can lie." Regina addressed Robin, having every intention to protect him from the stupid group of people they were stuck with.

"No, he can't."

"Yes, he can. Lie."

Regina's gaze on Robin was a lot more intimidating than the rest of the group so instead of telling the truth he just swallowed once and turned to answer Victor.

"I once dropped a plate of food in front of people?" he tried, not even believing his own lie but when he turned to Regina and saw her nod with approval, he smiled despite himself.

"Man you're whipped…" Victor blurted out.

"I am what?"

But before Victor could mock him any further, Ruby interrupted him.

"But that's no fun!" she whined.

"Deal with it." Regina's tone indicated that the conversation was over so the redhead rolled her eyes and directed her next question at her.

"Regina, truth or dare."

"There's no way I'm playing."

"Come on! We promise we'll be gentle!"

When Regina looked around, she saw nothing but innocent eyes staring at her with enthusiasm. Not being able to resist herself, she slightly turned her gaze to Robin, gauging his reaction and when he shrugged and gave her an approving nod, she just sighed and answered.

"Fine… Truth.

"How about the underwear-"

"Forget the underwear; we all know she wore it." Emma interrupted Ruby before she could ask her question and earned a wide eyed angry look from Regina.

"What were you doing when I called you last night?" she asked instead, her eyes filled with curiosity.

"Why did you even call me?"

"I was worried, you guys were still there when we left the bar." She looked at Robin who instantly turned his gaze away from her and opted for staring at Regina instead. He was doing all in his power to avoid eye contact with the blonde.

"We were asleep." Regina replied, raising her chin.

"That's a lie. You pressed the ignore button."

"No I didn't."

"Then he did."

"I didn't press anything." Robin defended them and he watched Regina turn to him and give him an approving nod. He was learning how to play this game.

"Pass." Regina replied.

"You can't-"

"Already did."

In a matter of minutes the subject was dropped, thanks to Regina's brilliant talent at deflecting and now David was trying to shove a hand into the flames in the fireplace without burning his hand. He seemed to failing which made Ruby burst into a laughter that violated Regina's ears.

"Robin, truth or dare."

"I will pick dare this time." Robin replied, half expecting something as dangerous and risky as the dare David has been given who was now rubbing his slightly red and burnt hand.

"Kiss Regina." Emma suddenly blurted out and Regina rolled her eyes. Of course all the stupid ideas and questions came from her…

"I wouldn't-"

"Of course you would."

"We all know you would." Victor joined the conversation with a knowing look.

Robin gave a side glance to Regina, wondering how the hell they were going to lie their way out of this when she did something that he would expect the least and spoke.

"Fine."

"What?"

"It's just a stupid game, let's get it over with."

Those were the last words that he expected to hear from her. Suddenly the room was hot and his breathing became ragged. He was going to kiss her again? When they were sober?

Regina, on the other hand seemed cool about this but inside she was bursting with excitement. That was the only reason she had agreed to this, the feeling of kissing him when they were sober and when she could actually feel it was immense and she was beaten to her curiosity. Was he really good at kissing or was it what she remembered due to the fact that they were drunk with alcohol and happiness?

She just couldn't wait to find out.

"A proper kiss!" they both heard Emma shout from a distance but they hardly paid any attention as Regina angled her body towards him and looked deep into his eyes.

She was going to kiss him, linger on his lips a bit before pulling away. That was her intention. She was going to have complete control over this.

However her plans shattered into pieces when she watched him take a deep breath before putting a hand on her jaw, a couple of his fingers caressing her neck and pulled her towards him.

It was heaven when their lips met and she let out an involuntary moan, having waited so long to be able to do that again. It was a lot more tender than she would have expected and a lot gentler but then she reminded herself that they were in front of people. His hand got lost in her hair as she leaned in even closer to him, supporting herself on her knees and she practically hovered over him. She opened her lips further for him, granting him entrance to explore her mouth even better but instead he gave her bottom lip one last lick, a gesture that made her think what his tongue would feel like if he was using it on somewhere other than her lips before he gently pulled away, leaving her breathless.

She was supposed to be in control, but instead she just stared deep into his eyes, not even aware of her hand that was now placed on his chest and slightly tugging his shirt.

He was a better kisser now that they were sober and she wanted more of it.

They were brought back to the reality Victor whistled and Emma let out a laugh. Everyone seemed to be laughing, enjoying their little encounter except for them who were now slowly parting from each other with a pang of disappointment in their chests.

The night went on fast after that. The game was abandoned and now Ruby and Victor were quietly talking to themselves as Emma and David were fast asleep in their respective seats. Tiredness was beginning to take over Regina as well so when she looked around and saw that no one was paying attention to them, she allowed her head to rest on Robin's shoulder as she leaned into him and closed her eyes.

He didn't put his arms around her, didn't make any bold moves that would cause suspicion but instead he did something he had been wanting to do for a couple of hours now. He placed his hand on hers and laced their fingers together, and didn't let go for the next hour.

#

It was hours later that they were all startled when Regina's phone started ringing but before she could open her eyes, lean over, and grab the device that was placed carefully on the coffee table, Emma beat her to it and grabbed it instead.

"It's Leroy." She announced and Regina relaxed back into her seat, her head not resting on Robin's shoulder anymore, knowing Emma would find it suspicious.

The blonde picked up the phone and started talking to the guy at the other end of the line with everyone else in the room watching her, curious to know more about the power outage. They all watched as Emma's smile turned into a frown and she hung up with a couple of okays and thank you's.

"They still couldn't fix it. We're here for at least a couple more hours."

Everyone gave an exhausted sigh and got comfortable in their seats, knowing they were going to be there for a long time. Emma just rolled her eyes, the curiosity of what was happening to the town eating her alive as she leaned over to place Regina's phone back on the table. But before she had a chance to do that, her finger grazed over the device and from the corner of her eye, she saw a thumbnail in the gallery.

Frowning, she opened it.

"Hey Regina, is that a new photo of you?"

"What photo?" Regina replied, her eyes half closed from exhaustion.

"In your gallery. Who took this? You look… happy."

Emma inspected the picture further. In it, Regina seemed to laying on… a bed? She was smiling, and when Emma swiped to reveal another picture, she saw another photo of Regina laughing. Not for the camera, but truly and genuinely laughing.

She raised her eyebrows, not being able to believe the sight before her. Since when had Regina smiled like that? She didn't know. Another swipe and it was a photo of her, covering her face. It was cute and adorable, and from that angle Emma could tell it was someone else who was taking those pictures.

As always, the curiosity got the best of the blonde and she gave Regina a side eye glance and was relieved to find her sitting on the couch peacefully, oblivious to the gem Emma had discovered.

Another swipe and this time it wasn't only Regina in the picture. It was Robin, both laughing.

Emma raised her eyebrows in surprise and when she swiped one last time, her little smile turned into a full blown grin as she let out a giggle.

She knew it. She so knew it.

Her plan had worked.

Not being able to contain herself, she jumped from her seat as she ran to her father first.

"Oh my God! I knew it!"

"Knew what?"

She excitedly shoved the phone to David's face who frowned in shock first and afterwards let out a smile. The pair had piqued the other's attention and the exhaustion was fading away from Regina's eyes, only to be replaced with confusion. She sat up in her seat and followed Emma with her eyes who was now running towards Ruby and Victor and showing the screen to them with a satisfied smile.

"What's going on?" she muttered, eyes turning to Robin who was also watching Emma, trying to understand.

"Like you don't know!"

"Are we supposed to?"

Emma just groaned in frustration and happily skipped over to Regina. Before she could realize what was going on, the screen of her phone appeared right in front of her face and she saw it.

There it was.

A photo of her and Robin kissing.

It was sudden really, she didn't have time to understand what was going on before her hands started shaking with excitement and her mouth dropped open.

Oh my God.

"What…" she managed to mutter, oh so very silent and she could feel Robin leaning over her shoulder, also watching to screen with a shocked expression.

Her surprise graduated into astonishment which led to a stupefied amazement as she was left staring at the screen with her eyes wide open, trying to fit the sight through her brain. There she was, with Robin, kissing and they seemed to be unaware of their surroundings. She was smiling into his mouth; eyes closed as one of her hands were placed on his chest.

She tried to remember this moment and even though it was a faint memory, ready to fade away in a couple of days, she still did. It was right after this picture that their small innocent kiss had turned into a full blown hot and heavy make out session and she blushed when she was reminded of it.

When she lifted her gaze slowly and her eyes met with Emma's, she saw the woman giving her a prideful smile.

"I won."

Those two words were what made Regina leave her imaginary world and get back to the reality.

She had kissed Robin and it was getting rubbed in her face.

It was wrong, it was all wrong. She had made one mistake and she hated herself for it. All those times, promising that she would stay away from him, repeating to herself that he was nothing more than an outlaw had failed and she internally scolded herself for being weak. And her friends were there to make fun of it.

She had lost to her whim, that simple infatuation had gotten the best of her and her will power had left her completely. Since when she had become like this she didn't know but all she knew was that she had failed.

Love is weakness, her mother's voice kept repeating in her head and when she turned to her side and looked at Robin and his gentle features, giving her the most tender smile, she realized it one more time.

Liking him was a weakness.

So without a second thought, she jumped from her seat. Grabbing her bag, she turned to the group one last time and spoke, wearing a broken smile.

"You won…" she told Emma and before anyone knew what was going on, she was out the door.

Darkness was the only thing that welcomed Regina when she stepped out of the city hall. The lights were still out, it was impossible to see what was in front of her, but determination filled her soul and she walked towards the dark and empty street. The night was cold as she struggled to see where she was going but failed. The moonlight did very little to help. Swallowing a nervous whimper, she continued her way down the street, feeling the familiar kind of fear settling in.

She knew she didn't have her magic but the realization was only now beginning to settle in as she flicked her wrists desperately, trying to get her to the safety of her own house but her powers betrayed her one more time and she let out a soft cry. She was nothing without her magic.

She was powerless and a slave to her emotions. No, hormones she would call it since she felt absolutely nothing towards that thief. It was all her brain playing stupid tricks with her and she was a fool to believe, she was a fool to believe that she could go one week in that room without having any kind of physical contact with him.

No, she was too weak for it and she loathed herself.

The sound of her high heels on the heavy concrete was the only sound that reached her ears as she continued her walk, not knowing where she wanted to go.

Much to her surprise, it wasn't long before she heard footsteps coming from behind her and when she turned around in horror mixed with panic and self-loathing, she saw none other than that thief, running towards her.

"Why did you follow me?" she asked, her voice echoing in the empty town. No one was there to hear.

She could barely see his face in the darkness but his blue eyes were as visible as always and it took her breath away despite her pathetic attempts to forget about them.

"Where are you going?"

"To Granny's." she replied, having made up her mind. "I'm getting my stuff back and I'm leaving that room."

"Regina, don't."

Shaking her head, she turned away from him but before she could leave his company, she felt his hand grabbing her arm and she was forced to turn towards him one more time.

"What Robin? What do you want from me?!" her voice was loud and it sent shivers down his spine.

"Please come back inside. We don't know what's out there."

"I don't care."

"Regina, don't leave." He pleaded and for a second she contemplated on staying. But it wasn't long before her mother's voice was back in her head and she physically had to stop herself from screaming.

"And why is that? Why should I stay with you? You're nothing but a thief who's been invading my life for the past couple of days so for the love of God, tell me. WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" She yelled with all of her power, her voice cracking as she felt tears forming in her ducts.

"I want you to stop running away!" he yelled right back, his voice thunderous as his eyes fumed with anger.

The tone of his voice scared her even further, not having heard him being anything other than gentle before. But now, he was a completely different person. His light blue eyes shined a shade darker in the night as he clenched his fists and gave her the most intimidating look she had ever seen in her life

"I'm not running away. I'm going back to where I belong." She replied slightly softer, her chin raised high.

"And where is that? Your empty mansion with nothing but your loneliness to accompany you?"

"You don't know me." The tears threatened to fall and she was having trouble standing up to him. She was this close to falling onto her knees and letting out a desperate cry but no, she wasn't going to do that. Not in front of him.

"I know you better than anyone else." With that his voice grew softer and he took a step towards her. Raising one hand to place it on her arm, hoping that his touch would soothe her, he was surprised when she stepped away from him with a scared look on her face.

"Leave me alone, do not touch me." She spat out like it was an insult and it was the last straw for him.

"That's funny because last night-"

"Don't you dare go there…" she warned him, her voice shaky and trembling as she took a step towards him. She knew what he was going to say and she begged him with her eyes not to let out those words because if he did, there was no going back. She pleaded silently.

"Last night you were begging me to touch you." He finished, his eyes never leaving hers for once.

The sound of her slap echoed through the empty streets and the force of it on his face made Robin take a couple of steps back with surprise in his eyes.

Regina froze as her gaze switched back and forth between her hand and his cheek now beginning to redden. The tears that were threatening to fall did not listen to her commands as two drops of salty water left her eyes and trickled down her cheek. Robin had a different look in his eye, something she couldn't quite place but it was so different from the smile he had given her just hours ago on the rooftop. It intimidated her and made her heart beat a thousand times faster in her chest.

She watched him bring a hand to his cheek as if he was trying to process what just happened and she took a step back, afraid to see the disappointment in his eyes.

"Don't follow me." She softly said, her voice barely above a whisper.

With that she took a couple more steps back before turning away from him and disappearing into the night.


	13. Chapter 13

**Alright so just for the heads up, this chapter is heavily inspired by Jason Silva and months ago there was a major black out in my city. It lasted for hours and it was literally the whole city. I had to leave the house and find an open store to buy some candles. So when the whole electricity is out in a city for more than 5 minutes, it gets really scary and weird. Especially if you live in a city like mine with lots of tall buildings and scary back alleys. It is impossible to see where you're going without a flashlight and I thought that was a really unique experience. I tried to explain that as best as I could here and the last chapter.. Hope you guys liked it.**

**Thank you spiralnebulaM31 for the long review, I appreciate it!**  
**And everyone on Twitter, thank you so so much for reading and spreading this!**

**PS. FINALS AAAAAAAAAHHHH!**

* * *

It still hurt.

The redness on his cheek was fading away but the pain was still there although Robin had to admit it wasn't completely physical. After that sudden and unexpected emotional outburst, Regina had left him hanging. Now he was standing in the middle of the empty road, torn apart.

The words had left his mouth before he was able to stop them and he had mentally cringed at himself. He was an idiot. Emma's pressure on her had been enough and to top all that, he had failed to be by her side and somehow managed to make the situation even worse.

He knew she needed time and he didn't dare follow her. She needed to be alone and she had made it clear. However when he looked around, darkness reminded him of the power outage and he suddenly felt panicked with the realization of it.

They didn't know what was going on and now she was out there, all alone, without her magic. His first instinct was to follow her so without minding the cold or the darkness, he headed for the direction that she disappeared, setting a slow running pace for himself.

The weather was getting colder and it was now the middle of the night. Those facts were getting him even more worried and he half ran half walked in the dark secluded street that he had no idea where it led. His breath came out in white puffs, the cool weather affecting him more than it should.

The faster he walked, the more he came to the realization of something that he had forgotten before; Regina didn't want to be found.

Desperation hit him hard as he stopped his slow run, stopping just to look around. Darkness surrounded him and his eyes were met with faint silhouettes of various houses that he didn't remember seeing before.

"Regina!" he yelled once, the concern in his voice ever so present. He just hoped that she was okay, he just hoped that whatever dangerous entity visiting now was not after Regina.

When he traced his way back to the City Hall, the exhaustion causing him to slow down his pace, he was angry and upset. He barely made it through the entrance before coming to a halt and leaning against a nearby wall as he closed his eyes and tried to process what happened.

From the distance he could see two people approaching him with worry clouding their features.

"Robin?" David said when he came to stand next to him.

"What happened?" Emma was right behind him.

"This is your fault…" Robin suddenly spoke, his eyes coming to focus on the blonde who was now staring at him with concern.

It wasn't only his fault. It was also Emma who helped her run away. Maybe he was putting the blame on someone else but he didn't care. He was past the point of thinking clearly and he was angry. He wanted to have someone to be the source of it because only then he wasn't obligated to face the fact that she was actually gone whether it was his fault or not.

"You made her run away…"

"Woah Robin…" Emma took a step back, her hands coming in front of her in a defensive state.

"Everything was fine right before you came into the picture so if she's lost somewhere in this town all by herself, she owes it to you!" he suddenly spat back as he lifted his weight off the wall. His anger had fueled him with adrenaline and his hands shook in fury.

"I did not cause this." The blonde explained as she took another step back, getting intimated by the blue eyes that were fixed on her. From the corner of her eye, she watched her father put a hand on Robin's shoulder, hoping that the simple touch would calm him down.

He was mistaken.

"It is because of your stupid games that-"

"It is because of my games that you now have the right to worry about her!" Emma suddenly raised her voice and Robin paused, not expecting that kind of sudden outburst from her.

"I've always cared about her..."

"But now she lets you!" she yelled, her eyes widening in outrage before she took a step closer to him and added "You have established this relationship thanks to my stupid games so _that's_ what you owe me, not her running away because trust me if I've seen anything from your relationship, it's that you are a cowardly bastard! That's what caused this, not me!"

"Emma!" David warned her daughter but her eyes never left Robin's.

Tension filled the air as both of them stood their grounds, their gaze never leaving one another's. It wasn't long before Robin let out a sigh and his eyes shifted to the ground.

"You're right." He took a deep breath before he faced the blonde again, her features softening also.

Robin had never been the kind of man to yell at a woman especially over something that was his fault. Regina's disappearance was getting to him and he began to feel like he was losing his control but nevertheless, he sighed and tried to pull himself together. For her at least.

"I am?" Emma just blurted out, not expecting his surrender.

"Yes and I'm sorry. This is all my fault." He replied, closing his eyes and leaning back to the wall, despair hitting him like a brick.

"And I overreacted. You're not the reason she ran away." Emma answered softly as she stepped forward and put a supportive hand on his shoulder.

"It doesn't matter. She's gone and she's all alone and I'm-" he groaned in frustration before raising his head to meet David and Emma.

"We'll look for her."

"I need to get her back." Robin declared, eyes filled with determination.

#

Love wasn't beautiful, it was scary.

Every romantic movie she had watched, every pop song had lied to her. Love didn't exist in the state of infinitive vastness; it was filled with melancholy and terror. It clouded her judgment, she couldn't recognize herself anymore. What she thought was her inner being, who she was, had turned into a stranger and she was having difficulty placing her emotions.

Why did it have to be him?

Why did it have to be him to make her question herself?

She had one motto, the way of thinking that she was brought up with and it was that love was unacceptable. Now he dared to come into her life and shatter that thought into millions of pieces and she felt lost. She didn't remember the last time she felt like this, always having a destination, a reason, and a motive. But he demolished that, made her reconfigure her mental models of the world and she didn't know how far that would go.

And that is exactly what scared her.

The possibility of happiness existed with him and it alarmed her even further because up until then, she had comforted herself with the idea that her happy ending didn't exist. But now that she had found it, she was afraid that it wasn't going to last.

No, she wasn't just afraid of it. She also knew it. Impermanence was really a thing and it made her sad just to think that the bliss he provided her, the butterflies and the goose bumps, they were all transitory. She had the vision of something more, a vision of a hidden door, a rabbit hole to fall through but a temporary one.

It was a tragedy, really. She could see its transience.

Love and melancholy existed together and they were taking their toll on her. So she had run away from him, no matter how stupid of a judgment it was considering the fact that the town was dangerous and she was powerless.

She had found the cure in running into the forest, having failed to locate her own house or Granny's in the darkness, she had dragged her feet to the woods knowing it was better to hide in an area crowded with trees than being out in the open and fall prey to their unknown enemy.

And now here she was, sitting on a dirty log as her high heels dug deeper into the mud. She hadn't taken them off, still bearing the pain because going barefoot in the forest wouldn't have been very ladylike. That was what her mother had taught her after all. Supporting her elbows on her knees, she buried her head into her hands as she shook with terror of the recent events. Tears were streaming down her face but she wasn't crying anymore. She was trembling, waiting for it all to be over.

Her head shot up when she heard someone stepping on a crunchy leaf. Her heart started beating faster and she was stunned in silence, her ears listening to every sound that surrounded her.

Another sound of a footstep and she was alarmed. She instantly stood up, silently hissing at the pain that shot up from her feet, as her eyes roamed around the dark, empty forest, trying to see the source of the sound. Failing to see anyone, her eyes shot up in front of her in a defensive state but when she remembered that her powers were unavailable for her use, that's when she really became panicked and scared.

Nevertheless, she raised her head high and prepared herself to face her intruder when a familiar voice called out her name.

"Regina?"

Oh God, this was worse than everything…

With a sigh she sat back down on the log, not caring if her expensive pencil skirt was getting muddy or not.

"Why are you here?" her voice came out soft and groggy from crying.

"Oh, thank God!"

Robin practically ran towards her, his face beaming with happiness and relief. Upon reaching her, he instantly crouched in front of her and let out an exhausted sigh before speaking.

"You're here! Are you okay?"

Regina just stared at him dumbfounded as she observed the expression on his face. He seemed tired, worried even and she couldn't help but to frown.

"I'm fine."

But he only half heard her as his hands traveled her body, looking for any cuts and bruises and just making sure that she was okay and not going anywhere. He just touched her gently, not wanting to bother her any further as his fingers grazed over her arms, her knees and his eyes came to stop on her face which exposed the fact that she had been crying. His heart ached with the realization of it.

"What are you doing here? How did you find me?"

"We've been looking for hours."

"We?"

"Me, Emma and David." He explained, his voice soft and soothing.

"And why?"

"I want to apologize." He replied and his words made her stop and look at him.

"Really?" she couldn't help but to ask.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said."

Taking a deep breath, her eyes left his blue ones and came to stop at his cheek, worry filling her features.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have done that." She raised one hand slightly to stroke his cheek but changed her mind mid-way and dropped her arm back on her lap.

"I deserved it."

She didn't respond but part of her knew he was right. She still wasn't over the rage she had witnessed earlier, his words still repeating in her mind. When she lifted her head however, his blue eyes told a whole different story. The man who had burst with outrage was gone and instead he just crouched in front of her, knees on the muddy ground and stared at her in such a way that she couldn't make herself look away.

She watched him watch her.

"Regina, what is this?" he suddenly spoke.

"What?" she knew exactly what he was talking about but chose to stall instead.

"This thing between us… I know you feel it too. Because I like you and-"

"Don't say it , it'll make it worse. Then we won't be able to get out of the situation." She warned him. Because no, she didn't want to face that, not right now.

She avoided his eyes, opted for looking at the ground but when his hands came to rest on hers and he caught her gaze with a tender but confused smile, she was forced look back to him.

"Why are you running away from this?"

"I'm not running away."

"Just tell me why." He insisted, not satisfied with the answer she had given him.

"Because it doesn't last!" she suddenly yelled, startling him as she pulled her hands away from his grasp and stood up.

Turning her back to him, she heard him stand up also from right behind her and she observed her surroundings before turning to him and speaking.

"Look around you! Trees, plants, life, nothing lasts. One day all of this is going to rot and die. And you expect what's between us to last?"

"I can make it last." He spoke, taking one step towards her.

"Don't make promises that you can't keep. My happy ending never lasts." She said and when she raised her head and faced him, she was wearing a broken smile.

"Regina, please-"

"Don't."

Robin just sighed and stopped himself from walking over to her. Because the pressure he had put on her for the past couple of days had been enough and now he knew she needed time to herself. And if it meant for him to stay back and let her figure out her own problems then so be it.

"Still leaving the room then?" he asked, hoping the answer would be a no.

"Yes. We've all seen the outcome, Emma was right." She replied with a bitter chuckle.

"Let's stay friends then." He suddenly blurted out after a pause.

"Excuse me?" she raised her eyebrows and stared at him, unable to believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. He wanted to stay friends with her despite all this?

"I mean it. Roland likes you, I like you and I can see how moody you get when you stay away from me." He replied with a smirk and when the corners of her lips curved into an involuntary smile, he sighed in relief and took a step closer to her.

"Be my friend."

"I don't know…"

"I promise I won't kiss you again unless you've asked me to."

His last words had the desired effect and he watched her roll her eyes and let out a giggle. It really was a relief seeing her like this, after hours of worrying and searching, he was just glad that she was okay and she was smiling again.

"Okay." She replied softly, a bit shy. He found it adorable.

He stepped forward and extended his hands towards her as she took it and shook it with a smirk playing her lips.

"Let me carry you back. You seem tired.

"I can walk."

He just nodded but before she could let go of his hand, he quickly pulled her towards him and picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder.

"What?! Robin! Put me down!"

"You are tired and it's a long walk." He said and began walking.

"Robin I mean it! Put me down this instant!" she yelled and started punching his back but her efforts turned out to be futile when he seemed completely oblivious to her punches and kept walking towards the direction of the town.

"I regret this friendship decision." She said after a sigh, trying to turn to get a look on his face but his grip on her back and upper thighs was too strong so instead she just sighed and accepted her fate.

"Too bad, you can't take it back now." He smirked and kept walking.

#

"I have found the runaway!" Robin announced when he reached to the police car that was parked on the empty highway with a very angry Regina on his shoulder.

Upon spotting them, Emma directed the flashlight towards them and snorted when she saw Regina was being carried by Robin.

"What, she was too tired to walk?"

"No, I wasn't!" Regina yelled.

"Yes, she was." Robin said, pretending not to hear her.

"Regina, you okay?" David immediately ran towards them, his flashlight bothering Robin's eyes.

"I'm fine."

The minute Robin put her down, she hit him hard on the arm, eyes wide with fury. Letting out an 'ow' with fake pain, he rubbed his arm with a smirk.

"I was fine with walking, thief."

"A simple thank you would suffice." He smiled at her and she rolled her eyes.

They got in the car and David drove them back to the town, careful to go slow since his headlights were the only thing illuminating the road. Regina sat next to Robin in the back as she tried to get herself used to the new relationship she had with him.

He was friend now, nothing more.

It meant that she had to treat him like one. So no more flirting. She didn't flirt with her friends and he wasn't an exception. She was to treat him nicely and kindly and she practically forced herself not to sit closer to him in the back seat. Her eyes occasionally left the window only to turn to give him a stolen side glance. He seemed normal about this.

Good. If it wasn't weird for him than it should have been perfectly normal for her.

Except it wasn't.

The thoughts clouded her mind but before she had any time to contemplate on it any further, David stopped the car and when she looked out the window, she saw none other than her _favorite_ diner, Granny's.

"We got this from here. Thanks." She heard Robin speak from behind her and before she knew it, he was leaving the car and walking around the vehicle only to open her door.

"My lady." He said with a smile and she had to tear her gaze away from him to stop herself from smiling back.

Emma had given him another flashlight and now they were quietly making their way to their room with Regina stumbling occasionally in the dark. He would instantly appear by her side, his hands barely touching her arms just to see if she was okay but she would insist that she's wasn't some fragile glass and refuse the help.

Once they made it to the room, she instantly started looking for the duffel bag Emma had brought her and started stuffing whatever she could find that belonged to her in.

"You know, I'm actually liking this."

"What?"

"You going back."

"I'm afraid to ask why." She mumbled under her breath all the while squinting her eyes to see the contents of the bag.

"I don't have to hear you snore all the time."

She froze what she was doing and turned to stare at him with her mouth hanging open.

"I don't snore."

"I beg to differ." He smirked and went into the bathroom, silently helping her gather her stuff.

"And I don't have to wake up to someone pulling the blanket anymore."

"I never do that." Came his reply from the bathroom.

"That's what years of living in a tent does to you I guess." She spoke mostly to herself but when he emerged from the bathroom with an angry look on his face, she couldn't help but to smirk.

"I live in a camp and there's nothing wrong with my tent."

"The fact that it's a tent is exactly what's wrong with it."

"You've never stayed in a tent before have you?" he asked with a smirk and watched her fold her arms in front of her.

"I never had to. I had a castle."

Robin just rolled his eyes and went back to the bathroom, not wanting to stretch the topic any further. It didn't keep him from setting up plans to change her mind in the future though…

It was minutes later when he left the bathroom one more time with a frown on his face.

"Is this yours?"

When Regina lifted her head from the drawer she was currently going through just to see if she had missed anything, she found Robin standing right in front of her with a red thong in his hand. Not just an ordinary thong, one of those string ones that left nothing to the imagination.

"Oh God…" she burst into laughter and covered her face with her hands, not wanting to believe the ridiculousness of the situation.

"Not yours then?"

"Ruby's." she replied between giggles.

"I don't understand, do people actually wear that?" he said, inspecting the underwear with his hands.

"Yes and it looks rather nice actually."

"I suppose you wouldn't want to demonstrate?" he raised his eyebrows and instantly cursed himself for flirting.

"No way!"

He just chuckled and threw the underwear towards her and it landed on her lap.

"Don't throw it at me! It's not mine!"

With that she grabbed the thong and threw it back at him with such force that in landed on his head. It wasn't intentional but when the underwear decorated his head like a hat and he stood there dumbfounded, she burst into laughter and collapsed on the bed.

"You think this is funny?" he asked, pointing at his head. He had to bite his cheek from laughing also but wanting to seem serious, he frowned.

Her voice failed her as she laughed until she sobbed, burying her head into a pillow. Her shoulders shook and tears formed in her eyes.

Rolling his eyes, he spotted the duffel bag from the corner of his eye and reached for it, pulling out another lace underwear of hers as he threw it to her, aiming at her head also.

He succeeded and it landed on her head, the lace getting caught in her dark hair as he watched her reaction. She froze for a moment, trying to process what he did but seconds later she laughed even harder, and fell back onto the bed.

Seeing her laugh was beautiful. He was transfixed. Her contagious laughter caused him to chuckle and soon his also turned into a full blown laughter as their voices echoed in the room. Her cheeks were flushed red and the more she tried to suppress her giggles, the more she failed and ended up lying breathless on the bed. Robin couldn't help himself and laid down on the bed also, right next to her. Both on their backs, side by side as they both laughed hysterically.

When it finally died down and they started breathing again, Regina turned to him, her laughter replaced with a bitter smile.

"It's getting late. I should go."

_Stay._

That was the word that Robin kept repeating in his mind over and over again.

"It's already late."

"That's why I need to go."

_Please stay._

"It's dark outside."

She was about to get up but froze and settled back on the bed before turning to him with a smirk.

"Are you trying to get me to stay?"

"Your snore is like a lullaby, helps me sleep." He replied sarcastically, earning a giggle from her.

She rolled her eyes at him but seconds later her expression turned serious and she looked at him with sadness clouding her brown eyes.

"We both know I can't stay."

This wasn't about how dark it was outside, or how late it was getting. This was about them and if they were really trying this friendship thing together, they both knew staying in the same room was out of the question.

He nodded quietly and she got up from the bed, not wanting to face him any longer because she knew if she did, she would probably end up staying.

It was about an hour later they entered Regina's house, with Robin helping her carry her bags. Now that she was thinking clearly, finding her house hadn't been that much of a problem and walking there had been fun thanks to him deciding to accompany her.

"You sure you're going to be okay alone?" he asked the minute the placed the duffel bag on the floor inside her house.

"Robin, I live alone."

"I know that but-"

"Don't worry. I can handle myself."

"I know you can." He walked towards the door and reached for the handle.

"Lock the doors just in case." He added and she sighed.

"I'll be fine."

With that Robin decided to shut up, knowing that he was probably annoying her. He couldn't help his concern and he desperately wanted to stay, not in her room but on the couch perhaps but he knew she needed some time alone and he wasn't going to press the issue any further.

Just as he was about to walk out of the house, he stopped when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Thank you."

"What for?"

"For being my friend."

He just nodded and gave her a small smile and earned one back from her before walking out the door and back to Granny's.

Regina closed the door after him and turning around, she leaned her back against it and let out a long exhausted sigh.

It was all over.

Whatever she had with Robin was all over and she was back in her house.


	14. Chapter 14

**Entering the second week of finals, I apologize for the delay**

* * *

Her hands were on her waist.

It was almost instinctive really. Every morning for the past couple of days she had woken up to a possessive arm around her waist and every morning she had brought a hand to his, still half asleep as she caressed it lazily. That was when she would realize she was in his arms again and she would quickly leave his embrace, not wanting to have another awkward moment with him.

So this morning was the same. Her hand went to search for the arm wrapped around her waist but this time, for the first time in days, she was met with nothing. Eyes still closed, she made a disgruntled noise before extending her hand to the other side of the bed, searching for a warm body but she was surprised when she found… no one.

Her eyes shot open and she instantly turned her head, expected to find him sleeping soundly right next to her, but when she blinked a couple of times and observed her surroundings, she came to the realization that she was not in a small hotel room at Granny's but she was in fact in her own room. The disappointment hit her harder than she expected and it was a very bad start to her morning.

It was different. The fact that she now had to start her morning alone and go through her morning rituals all by herself without the snarky remarks of a certain thief was weird to her and she had to admit, she did not like the silence. Maybe it was his annoying presence or maybe it was how her heart fluttered in her chest when she caught him staring at her but without it, her morning seemed dull and boring. Was that what every day had been like before sharing a room with him? Certainly she hadn't been that mundane, had she?

After a long shower and an hour of getting ready for the day, she had made sure to wear a lipstick that was a shade darker, she finally made her way to Granny's, having promised her son a long awaited breakfast. And frankly, she was lying if she said her eyes weren't searching the little diner for him.

It was fine. She was just going to have a short breakfast with her son before leaving for her office and investigate the electricity issue even further. The power was back, thank God, she had found out that morning but it still seemed a bit suspicious and she could tell Emma was on it like a hawk. So, she was busy. She had things to do, she kept repeating those words to herself and she promised not to get carried away if she saw him in the diner.

She probably wasn't going to see him there but there was no harm in hoping and after all, he was now a friend and it wouldn't hurt to say hello.

Just like she had guessed, the minute she stepped into the local diner, the first thing she spotted was a pair of blue eyes that made her breath hitch in her throat.

He was sitting at the bar, with his son right next to him and he was chatting with Will when he saw her walk in and Regina didn't dare interrupt the moment. But it was already interrupted when he directed his attention towards her and gave her a smile with a polite nod, acknowledging her who in return smiled back and nodded before turning her gaze away from him and spotting her son.

"Where's Emma?" were her first words to Henry the minute she took a seat in his booth and faced him. He was busy going through the menu.

"She dropped me off and headed over to the sheriff's station." The boy replied nonchalantly, not tearing his hungry eyes from the menu.

"And she just left you here? All by yourself?"

"Relax mom, it was just for ten minutes." Henry sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Alright let's order then shall we?"

"Yeah, Ruby-"

"No, no." she interrupted him with a smile. "I think I'll hand my order personally to Granny."

"Okay…" Henry replied raising one eyebrow suspiciously. "Bacon and eggs for me."

Nodding, Regina stood up and walked over to the bar, her hands instinctively fixing her hair. There, he sat with his son, one hand shuffling the boy's hair as they both laughed and it was enough to turn her heart into a one giant puddle. Did she have a thing for good fathers or did she have a thing for him being a good father?

When she approached the bar and gave him a side glance every so subtly, she heard him speak.

"So how are you doing, _friend_?"

"Oh God, you're not gonna keep using that word, are you?"

"Of course I am. I like it." He gave her a proud smirk and she rolled her eyes.

"I'd be surprised if you didn't." she replied sarcastically.

"It helps define the boundaries of our relationship."

"Our relationship?"

"Which is a friendship, consisting of two friends being just… friends." He shrugged and she bit the inside of her cheek not to smile at him.

"You use that word one more time and our _friendship_ is over."

His response was to smile and made a gesture with his hands as to keep his mouth zipped. This time she actually smiled and was glad to see him smile back as she heard someone speak.

"Are you gonna play with us today, Regina?!"

When she tore her gaze away from him, she was met with a set of pouty eyes as Roland watched her with a hopeful gaze from where he was sitting, right next to his dad.

"Not today honey, maybe later?"

"Okay…" he looked back at the plate in front of him with sad eyes and Regina could swear her heart broke just by looking at the boy.

"Hey Roland, its fine. Regina is our _friend_ now, she can come play with you later." He said and turned to her with a wink.

"Robin."

"Okay, I'll shut up."

With one last smile, she walked away from him like she promised herself to do just minutes ago but she heard him calling her name again. She turned around, heart beating faster in her chest as she observed him with curious eyes.

"You forgot to order." He replied with that infuriating smirk of his and she had to go back and order with a hushed 'Right.' coming out of her lips.

#

"So how's everything with Robin?"

Regina lifted her head from the pancakes she had been stabbing her fork at and looked at his son with raised eyebrows.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Are you still mad at him?"

"Why would I be mad at him?"

"You're always mad at him." Henry replied, shrugging.

"Well, that's because he's a thief. And an outlaw." With that her eyes turned to watch him again, talking to his son as they both enjoyed their breakfast at the other end of the diner. She let out a longing sigh.

"And he likes you."

"Huh?"

"He likes you, mom."

"No, he doesn't." she replied quickly, averting her gaze from him.

"Yes he does, he always looks at you."

"He does not." With that her stare was on him again and he was indeed busy with his son.

"Mom, just because-"

"When did you start giving me relationship advice?" she quickly asked, averting the subject.

"Since you two are being stubborn about it."

"Henry…" she sighed.

"Mom, come on!"

"Look, I don't know what Emma told you but me and Robin… we're just friends."

Upon hearing her words, her son just pouted and focused on his plate, knowing that trying to convince his mom was a lost cause. She was too stubborn or idealistic and determined in her own words and there was no way she was agreeing to this unless she wanted to.

"Did you find out why you can't use magic?" Henry asked after a pause.

"No, we'll look into it today with Emma but I don't know if-" she was interrupted when the door of the diner shot open a bit harsher than normal and she was forced to stop and turn her gaze towards to entrance.

There, stood a woman clad in black high heeled boots with black skinny jeans and midnight blue shirt, wearing a big white fur on her shoulders.

With black and white hair.

The whole diner fell into a deadly silence as they all observed the sight before them, afraid to say anything.

"Cruella?" Regina was the first to speak as she slowly stood up from where she was sitting with a confused expression of her face.

"Hello Regina, missed me?"

She felt like time had frozen. How long has it been, she thought. How long has it been since she had seen her and suddenly thousands of memories flashed her mind, all the good and bad things she had gone through with Cruella.

Regina knew this woman. and now she was standing right in front of her with a smug expression on her face and she had no idea why. She had no idea what this little visit of hers would bring and she was afraid to find out. Smirking to herself, she slowly stood up and walked towards the black and white haired woman with a smile playing her lips. She forcefully buried her nervousness deep inside of her.

"What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd drop by to say hello." She gave her a wicked grin which told Regina that she wasn't just here dropping by.

"You don't just drop by."

"Well Regina darling, I'm shocked. Is this how you treat an old friend?"

There was a pause between the two women as silence filled the air. Suddenly, the reason behind her coming by popped into her head as she tried to wrap her mind around it. It wasn't a coincidence that she had lost her magic just in time for Cruella's arrival.

"Are you responsible for all this?" she suddenly asked, her voice getting serious.

"I'm afraid I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh cut the crap!" she raised her voice and she could feel the whole diner listening to her, curious eyes on both women. "Tell me why." She added, eyeing her up and down.

"Everyone needs a grand entrance."

"And this is how you do it? By cutting out the power supply?"

"Well actually I had one of my dogs chew the-"

"How did you do it?" Regina suddenly asked, taking a step closer. She lowered her voice, intending to keep the conversation discreet.

"The dog was stubborn at first but-"

"Not that!" she interrupted her one more time before adding. "Magic."

"Oh… well I had some help with that." She replied smugly.

"I knew it."

"Now if you'll excuse me, I would like to say hello to everyone." She said before tearing her gaze from the brunette as her eyes roamed over the diner and landed on something.

Or rather someone.

Blue met blue and Cruella's lips curved into a smile.

"Especially a special hello to him."

Before Regina could understand what was going on, Cruella turned away from her and walked over to the other end of the diner, her icy blue eyes destined to reach her target.

"Gin." She suddenly when she finally stopped.

"Huh?" Robin raised his head in confusion and stared at the woman that was now standing right next to him.

"I prefer gin, if case you would like to buy me a drink."

"Oh?" he managed to say as his gaze switched back and forth between the woman who was giving him a deadly smile and Regina who was still standing by the doorway with her mouth hanging open. Before he could say a word, Cruella walked over to his other side and sat down on the stool next to his, a bit closer than he preferred and he just raised his eyebrows in question.

Regina just stood there, lips parted as she observed the scene before her with threatening eyes. She took one step towards them but stopped herself immediately. Instead she threw one last suspicious glance at them before turning to Henry.

"Finish your breakfast then go to school. I need to talk to someone."

After earning a nod from her son, her curious eyes switched over to Cruella and Robin one more time, sitting awfully close to each other and she opted for leaving the diner instead of walking over to them. She could always deal with her later but for now she needed to make sure.

#

He could feel it.

He could feel her long red nails tracing on his bicep, with little fluttering touches that he pretended not to notice as he sipped his water. Will had taken Roland from him long ago, giving him an annoying wink in the process and now he was stuck with this Cruella woman he had no idea how to handle.

"So Robert..."

"Robin."

"Yes that, tell me darling what does a girl have to do get your attention?"

Robin raised his eyebrows to her question.

"My attention?" he asked, frowning.

"Since I can't see anyone else in this room with a body to die for, yes darling, your attention." She replied, inching a bit closer to him.

"I'm not sure I am what you're looking for."

"Take off your shirt and _I_'ll be sure." She winked at him and it made his jaw drop.

He had to admit, he wasn't used to a woman coming on to him like this. Sure back in the Enchanted Forrest he had women eyeing him from a distance and talking about him with smiles on their faces but never once he had anyone approach him so… directly. It made him confused and even though he was grateful for the attention, he had absolutely no idea how to respond. Cruella was a beautiful woman but…

When he turned around to gauge Regina's reaction over this, he found her seat empty. She was gone.

Disappointment hit him as he turned back in his seat and his shoulders sunk.

"So I heard you're quite the opposite of your friend _Little_ John."

Upon hearing her words, Robin did a spit take as he watched his water splutter all over the counter.

"Who told you that?!" he asked in shock, one hand coming to wipe his mouth with the back of his sleeve.

"So it's true?"

#

"I knew you'd come here."

Gold's words made her cringe internally but Regina paid no attention to it as she stepped into his shop with determination in her eyes.

"I suppose you know why."

"She's back."

Regina nodded, as she came face to face with the man, her hands resting on the wooden counter.

"You caused this?"

"Not this time, dearie." Gold replied, his hands coming in front of him in a sarcastic defensive state.

"And the electricity? Magic?"

"Yes I may have helped her with that."

Regina hated coming here, hated having to talk with her old mentor especially when there were things going on in town behind her back. And now learning that he helped with this new turn of events made her even angrier but she kept calm, not knowing what Cruella was after.

"Why?"

"She was scared of your magic and we had a deal."

"Scared of me?" she chuckled. Now, that sounded like her.

"Gloat all you want, you have no magic." He whispered as he leaned in closer to her.

"Yes we can't have that now, can we?" with that, her lips curved into a smile as she slowly walked around the counter and came face to face with him, with no barriers separating them.

"I need my magic back."

"Not until she leaves town. That was the deal."

"And what if I make another deal with you?"

"You've got nothing I want."

"Haven't I?"

There was a slight pause before Gold raised his eyebrows and spoke.

"Alright then. I want your boyfriend to do something for me."

"He's not my boyfriend…" she replied with an exhausted sigh.

"I haven't even said his name and yet your mind just casually fled to him. I think he is."

"Just… tell me what you want."

There was a smirk playing his lips and it annoyed Regina even more as she felt herself seconds away from leaving his shop and forget the whole thing but she needed her magic so she forced herself to get herself together and give him a forceful smile.

"There's a magical flower in the forest and I need him to get that for me."

"Why can't you get it yourself?"

"Well… let's say it requires a certain kind of talent to go that deep into the forest and your archer boy is exactly what I need."

"How deep are we talking about here?"

"Dangerously deep." He spoke in a low tone.

Regina took a step back as she threw a questioning look at him. She could feel deep in her bones that this was going to be something that would endanger Robin and she was ready to decline his offer if it meant what she thought it did.

"No. This sounds like a suicide mission." she replied quickly.

"I just need one flower."

"If it was that easy, you would have done it yourself. I'm out of here." With that she turned on her heel and headed for the door but his voice made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Regina, don't you want your magic back?"

#

"I would love to wear you like one of my fur coats."

Robin felt the hair on the back of his neck stand as Cruella purred right next to his ear, her red lips barely touching the skin there.

"Is that a dead animal you're wearing?"

"Yes darling, I skinned it myself. Do you like it?"

He just rolled his eyes at her question but before he had a chance to answer it, he heard the diner door open and when he turned around, he spotted none other than Regina walking into the restaurant with a tired look on her face. Throwing an angry stare at him, she headed over to the booth she had previously occupied with Henry but now of course she was all alone, having sent Henry off to school.

He watched her order a coffee with a couple of cookies to go with and he didn't remember seeing her like this before. Was it stress eating, he quietly thought to himself but before he had time to reflect further on the thought, he heard Cruella speak again from right beside him.

"Tell me darling…" she began as she placed one hand on his bicep. "Are these real?"

"How can they be… not real?" he replied, raising one eyebrow as he glanced down to his upper arm.

"No, the question is how can they be? I have never seen such marvelous arms in my life. Do you mind if I…?"

"You already are." Robin gave her a polite nod as he felt her grip on his bicep tighten as she let out a low moan.

From behind them, they suddenly heard something that sounded much like someone crashing two plates together and when Robin turned to take a look, he saw Regina still sitting in her booth with a coffee cup in her hand. The look she gave him was scary enough for him to inch farther from Cruella who was busy giving Regina the most wicked smile. Robin felt shivers go down his spine as he watched two women send each other killer stares.

"So Robby darling-"

"Robin."

"We can sit here and chat all day or…" Cruella said, her gaze back on him.

"Let's sit here and chat all day."

"Don't you want to take this somewhere a bit more private?" she asked, one finger grazing his chest.

"I'd rather not."

It was getting hot for him but it wasn't because of Cruella, no, it was because he could feel Regina's stares on the back of his neck, piercing through his soul and frankly he wasn't at all comfortable with being this close to a strange woman. Not to mention the fact that she smelled like a wet dog.

However, offending a lady was the last thing on Robin's mind as he quietly searched for ways to get himself out of the woman's grasp without upsetting her but at the moment it seemed like an almost impossible task.

Ever so subtly, he turned his head and glanced at Regina one more time and he barely stopped himself from smirking when he saw her grit her teeth and threaten Cruella with her looks. The idea of getting her jealous amused him as he turned back around and smiled quietly to himself.

"Oh God I would love to kiss that smile off your lips…"

Those last words did it for Robin as he stood up in panic and spoke.

"Excuse me."

With that he scattered off to the bathroom, not wanting to hear more of Cruella harassing him.

The minute he stepped into the privacy of the men's room, he let out a tired sigh. He was finally safe, he knew she couldn't track him in here.

Walking over to the sink, he turned on the water and allowed himself to wet his hands and wrists, calming him down. He had no idea where this Cruella woman came from but her presence was making him uncomfortable. Not that he had a problem with a woman, he didn't. But her intentions on him were making it hard to be polite with her as he constantly found himself deflecting her questions.

He didn't like it, he didn't like it one bit. Maybe he was old fashioned but the man had to be the one to court the lady, not the other way around and frankly he was still trying to get used to the ways of this new world he was in and he hated it. But no matter where they were, Cruella was a woman and he had no right to be rude towards her.

He needed to stay away from her, yes, that was his plan. He needed to be as far away from her as possible so he didn't have to say things that he didn't want to.

Yes, avoiding Cruella. It sounded like a nice plan.

Throwing himself one last look in the mirror, he stepped out of the bathroom and was ready to excuse himself from the diner but all of a sudden he felt a hand on his arm and he felt someone pulling him. Without knowing what was going on, he found himself pressed against a wall and Cruella was right in front him, her body pressed against his.

"Alright lover boy, let's do this."

"What?" he replied in panic as she trapped him between the wall and her body.

"You've given enough to the poor, now it's time to give some to the rich."

With that her hands were on his belt as she fumbled with it, trying to get it to open.

"Whoa!" he desperately tried to stop her.

Giving him one last grin, she lifted her hands from his belt and reached to her own black shirt as she unbuttoned the top button. But before she could unbutton the second one, Robin's hands were on hers as he stopped her from doing what was on her mind and he kept the shirt closed.

"Cruella, don't!"

"Oh stop being such a prude darling." She said as she leaned even closer to him and added. "I know you want me too."

"I don't know what gave you that idea but I don't… I can't!" with that he managed to escape from her grip and headed over to the diner, hoping that the crowd would keep Cruella from pushing herself on him.

When he was out in the open, he took a deep breath but he was interrupted when she followed him and came to stand in front of him with a hand on his chest.

"Rob darling!"

"My name is Robin!"

She was standing much too close to him and now the whole diner was silent, all watching the scene unfold before them. From the corner of his eye, he dared to glance in the direction of Regina who was taking a sip from her coffee and watching them with a frown.

"Tell me why!" Cruella raised her voice.

Robin was desperate, he really was. He forced his mind to come up with anything as he took a step back.

"Because I'm uh…"

"You're what?"

"Because I'm… married."

"Married? To who?"

His eyes quickly searched the small diner, his heart beating a thousand times faster in his chest. Finally his stare landed on Regina and as they made a brief eye contact, she raised her eyebrows and gave him the most threatening and deadly look he had ever seen in his life.

"Regina. I'm married to Regina."


	15. Chapter 15

**Sorry for the delay, my exams are finally over!**

**And if you want to read more of Cruella harassing Robin, I'd like to direct you to my other OQ Fic, Awkward First Meetings, chapters 13 and 15.**

* * *

His back hit the wall behind him and he grimaced in pain.

When he looked around, he was once again in the back of the diner, away from all the prying eyes as he found himself trapped between the wall and a woman.

However this time it wasn't icy blue eyes staring back at him, no, this time they were warm chocolate brown eyes but they were fuming with anger.

He didn't remember seeing Regina like this. She was pissed off, nostrils flared as she didn't dare taking her gaze from his even for a second. The look she gave him intimidated him, made him want to take a step back, but the wall blocked him so he opted for staring back, half scared to know what awaited him. Her hands were in fists and if he didn't know that she didn't have her magic, then he would have been scared out of his mind. But he knew, he knew she couldn't hurt him and no matter how complicated and inappropriate the situation was, he couldn't help but to smile a little.

"What the hell are you doing?!" she asked in a shouting whisper as she articulated every single word.

"I'm saving my ass."

"By using me?!"

"I didn't use you.. You just.. You happened to be there."

Regina just closed her eyes and let out an angry sigh.

"You're gonna fix this, thief!"

"I can't."

"And why is that?"

"Regina, listen." He took a step towards her and suddenly he was invading her personal space. Not backing away, she stood her ground and eyed him up and down, desperately trying to hide the change in her breathing.

"This woman, Cruella, it doesn't look like she's going to leave me alone and I have a son. I can't deal with her all the time."

"And that is my concern how?"

"I want you to pretend like you're my wife, just until she leaves town."

She barely stopped herself from bursting into fits of laughter as her lips curved into a smile and she watched him with an amused stare.

"Me? Pretending to be your wife? You must be crazy if you think I will agree to that." She spoke, taking a step away from him and ready to go back into the diner. Maybe she should just step back and let Cruella harass Robin. She definitely knew it would be an interesting sight to watch, and a funny one.

"But you will."

His words stopped her dead in her tracks and she forced herself to turn back to him, with a suspicious gaze.

"What makes you say that?"

"You owe me."

"I don't-"

"Remember a week ago, in your office. You promised me a favor.

She froze, the memories of the past week coming back to her now. He was right, days ago in her office when he was being insufferable as always and she had tried to shoo him away, but not before promising him a simple favor, thinking that it would help him leave her alone. Never once had she thought that he would use it, or even if he did it she expected something much simpler. But this? This she did not expect.

Her mouth was hanging open as she contemplated what to say. No, her mind screamed at her, absolutely not but on the other hand… she knew that she owed him.

"Never thought that you were the kind of person to back away from a deal." He replied, giving her a smug smile.

"I'm not… I…"

"You're not?"

"No."

"So you're agreeing to this?"

"I think I am…" she muttered as she struggled to speak.

"Excuse me? I don't think I heard you." He smirked and took a step towards her.

"You know what? Fine! Just until Cruella leaves."

"Just until Cruella leaves." He repeated her and nodded.

There was a pause, a moment spent staring into each other's eyes and thinking whether or not this was a good decision. Of course it wasn't and somehow she was feeling like she was about to take a great risk but she stood in front of him anyway with determined eyes, not showing the little uncertainty that was hiding within.

Minutes later they emerged back to the diner, both wearing forceful smiles as they walked side by side, eyes searching for Cruella. It wasn't long after that she stood up from the stool she was occupying and came to stand right in front of them.

"It's true. We're married." Regina said once they were face to face with her.

"Are you certain, darling? Cause seconds ago you didn't seem so sure."

"I am sure."

Cruella gave the pair in front of her a suspicious look as they stood side by side, both wearing pleasent smiles.

"And how long has this marriage thing been going on?"

"A year."

"Six months."

They replied at the same time and both froze before changing their statement.

"Six months."

"A year."

Regina cringed at their inability to lie and watched Robin put a hand on the back of his neck and look away.

"Which is it?"

"A year." Regina finally replied, glad that Robin chose to stay silent this time. "We renewed our vows six months ago."

Cruella just squinted her eyes and eyed the couple from head to toe. In return Regina chose to give her a bright smile whereas Robin was still looking at anywhere but Cruella. It was weird and they were fools if they thought she was buying it.

"And the rings?"

"The what?" Robin asked, now directing his attention towards her.

"The rings darling, because I don't see them anywhere."

Regina's stare immediately went to her empty finger and she widened her eyes in panic. Who were they kidding? This was stupid and from the look on Cruella's face, she could tell she didn't believe a word they were saying. Well actually they weren't doing a good job selling their lie either. So shaking her head, she gathered her mind together and tried to find an appropriate answer for the woman's liking.

"Well uhm… We took it off."

"Took it off? And why on earth is that?"

"Shower." Robin let out and Regina was glad he was cooperating. "We took it out before a shower."

"I don't see how-"

"We always take it off before showers. Last month Robin's ring fell into the drain and it was weeks before we were able to get a new one so we're just being cautious." She replied quickly, arising even further suspicion in the older woman.

"I told her there was no need but she insisted, right honey?" Robin put an arm around her waist before adding. "You know how bossy she is."

Regina raised her eyebrows in astonishment when she felt his hand on her waist. Her attention slipped away from her as she concentrated on his faint touch on the small of her back, unable to focus on anything else. When she kept on staying silent, Robin slightly tightened his grip on her waist and she came back to the present.

"Yes." She confirmed, not knowing what else to say.

Regina watched with curious eyes as Cruella gave them another suspicious glance but much to her surprise backed away slowly. However before she was able to breathe out in relief, she watched the woman go back to the bar, finish her drink and turn back towards them with mischief flashing through her icy blue eyes.

"You know what Regina dear, I would love to come over and take a look at your wedding album."

"My what?!"

"Your album darling, you know the one with photos in it?"

"I… uhm… We…" Regina stuttered, having been caught off guard.

"Sure?" came the unsure voice from right next to her and she found herself turning to look at him with shock.

"Marvelous."

With that Cruella turned around, her high heels clacking on the floor as she headed out the diner, leaving the couple with pained expressions on their face.

Regina didn't even bother to ask Robin what were they going to do because she already knew his answer.

He had no idea either.

#

This was the stupidest idea she had ever agreed to. Of all the things she had done in her life from agreeing to Gold's deals and thinking that she was smart enough to go behind her mother's back, this was truly the most idiotic one.

For starters they hadn't even thought it through. She had just agreed to it, just like that without further analysis. No, one look at his deep blue eyes and his playful smirk had done the job for her and she had found herself saying yes without even thinking what she was actually agreeing to.

It was her stupid hormones acting alone again, forgetting to consult her brain first as she got dragged to where her emotions led her. Or, she thought, maybe part of the reason she had agreed to this stupid charade was because she had actually seen how Cruella was acting. Robin was right, the woman refused to leave his side as her long fingers caressed his arms and Regina hadn't missed the fact of how close she stood next to him. So maybe it irritated her but purely because she cared about Robin, as a friend. And seeing him uncomfortable made her uncomfortable.

And a bit angry.

But that was purely because her growing irritation towards Cruella had advanced even more when she stepped into the diner, not because she kept on touching Robin.

Absolutely not.

So when they stepped into the confines of her own house, Robin in dead silence and Cruella making unnecessary comments from behind them, Regina felt confused. Primarily because she had never once thought how this day would go when she woke up that morning. She never would have imagined bringing Robin back to her house hours after she had woken up as her new fake husband.

This was not like her, not having a plan and she felt her control over the situation slip away from her fingers. From beside her, she could feel spontaneity oozing from Robin as he was also clueless to her next move but unlike her, he was fine with it. Instead of a plan, his nature required him to improvise and she couldn't say she trusted his tactics so worry filled her up and she stepped into her house.

Allowing Cruella to pass her as she walked further into the house with curiosity clouding her features, Regina stood by next to Robin, both oozing with tension. They both watched with confused eyes as the woman took slow steps on the hardwood floor and observed where Regina lived with great interest. Regina let out a sigh when Cruella's fingers collected a thin layer of dust that was sitting on her table and she made a disgusted face.

"This is where you live?"

"Yes." Regina said, closing the door.

"And this is where Robbie lives also?" with that she sat on the couch and crossed her legs.

"Yes."

"Can't say it looks like your taste. Too.. clean." She remarked eyes searching for his.

Robin frowned and sat down on the couch beside her as Regina took a seat on the arm chair and pretended not to notice when Cruella inched closer to her husband. Her fake husband, she reminded herself. When had she become this possessive?

"Are you implying that I'm dirty? She heard Robin ask with a frown.

"I'm implying that you're masculine." Cruella replied as her fingers instantly went to his arm again. "This place is not."

What was it about this woman and Robin's arms? She made a mental note to explore this later.

Her stare on Robin was getting deeper and when Regina saw him turn a bit towards Cruella and give her a slight smile, she suddenly stood up, unable to control her actions.

"Why don't I show you our curtains, you'll love it. It matches the bed sheets."

For some reason this caught Cruella's attention and she raised her eyebrows in delight. Standing up, Regina practically forced her off the damn couch and pushed her to the direction of her bedroom, giving Robin an angry look in the process who in return shrugged and made himself more comfortable on the couch.

Once they stepped into the bedroom and Cruella's attention instantly got focused on the curtains, she was startled when Regina closed the door behind them with a huge bam.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Admiring the curtains darling, although I can't say that I'm impressed." She grazed her fingers over the cream colored drapes before adding. "Are these from Goodwill?"

"Yes, just like your dress."

Cruella raised her eyebrows in shock but before she was able to shoot back, Regina asked again.

"Tell me what you're doing here."

"Just visiting."

"Oh cut the crap!" the brunette raised her voice as she stepped closer to her.

"I'm getting evicted." She finally let out and allowed herself to sit on the queen sized bed without asking to see if Regina minded. She did but that was not the point.

"You? Evicted? I thought you were married."

"My husband got arrested." When Regina frowned, Cruella added. "I didn't understand it either. He was a decent respectable person, so what if he stole a couple of million dollars?"

"Yes… So what indeed." She replied, scoffing. "So why are you here?"

"Gas is cheaper here, compared to Long Island."

When Regina gave her a look, she added in slightly lower voice. "And I had nowhere else to go."

Regina was just about to throw back a retort when Cruella's stopped her and she was forced to retreat and take a deep breath before sitting down right next to her on the bed.

"How bad is it?" she quietly spoke.

"Bad enough to eat out at that dreadful diner."

There was silent understanding that passed between the two women but it didn't last long and before Regina knew it, they were back to their normal selves again.

"You can't be around Robin."

"Why is that darling? He's handsome, he's hot, he's-"

"Married."

"To you. A tiny detail."

"This tiny detail wants you to go now." Regina replied as she raised her eyebrows in disbelief.

"What? No wedding album?"

"Not until you learn to behave."

Cruella shook her head and smiled before speaking in a deadly voice.

"That I can't promise."

It took more than a couple of minutes to convince her to finally leave the bedroom let alone her house. Of course it was an understatement to say she didn't struggle at the doorway.

"This was fun."

"Yes absolutely, let's not do it again." Regina replied as she practically tried to force the door closed but a hand prevented her from doing it.

"And you darling." She addressed Robin before Regina had a chance to close the door one more time. "Always a pleasure."

Robin who stood next to Regina, one foot out the door, forced a pleasant smile.

"Likewise."

This little visit of hers had proved to be hell for all of them and frankly Robin was surprised as to how Regina was able to get Cruella out. He was relieved to see her gone and he was beginning to get a bit worried about his son. The first thing he was going to do was to check on him and then maybe he could go back to his camp and talk to his friends. Yes, Regina's house was nice but he had no intention of invading it after all she had done for him. Maybe a dinner, he thought. He could pay her back with dinner.

These thoughts crossed his mind as he absentmindedly took a step outside the house, right after Cruella but was stopped when he realized the woman didn't move. Instead she stood her ground and stared at him.

"And where are you going?"

"Out?"

"Why darling, isn't this your house?"

"Of course it is." Came Regina's voice from behind him.

Next thing he knew he felt a hand on his arm and he was being pulled back inside the house and he watched the door shut on Cruella's amused face. The same hand that pulled him inside was now pushing him against a wall and he was once again met with two angry brown eyes.

"What the hell were you doing?!"

"I was leaving." He tried to sound innocent but she was having none of it.

"This was your idea and you don't even know how to handle it."

Robin leaned back against the wall with a sigh and watched Regina pace back and forth in front of him. The vein on her forehead was becoming more visible by each passing second. He guessed this was the wrong time to tell her how adorable he thought it was. Instead he addressed the question both of them wanted to ask since the lie first left their lips.

"Do you think she bought it?"

"Of course she didn't. She's too smart to buy it."

"So what do we do?"

Regina shrugged in return.

"We sell it better." She said before muttering under her breath. "This is stupid, I don't know why I agreed to this."

"Because you're my friend and friends help each other."

She rolled her eyes at his remark and his lips curved into a smile upon seeing her reaction. There was a brief silence before he spoke again.

"When do you think I can leave?"

"You can't. She'll be back."

"So what? I just stay here?"

No, no, no, no this was not what Regina had in mind when she had agreed to this fake marriage. But now seeing the direction this was going, she widened her eyes in surprise and brought a hand to cover her face with a sigh before she spoke quietly.

"I guess."

"Regina." He said and when she looked up to meet his eyes, she watched how serious how demeanor had become.

"This was just something to get her off my back. I didn't mean to cause you any trouble."

She nodded in understanding, the change in him softening her a bit but before she was able to respond, he spoke again.

"I can go back and tell her it was just a joke so you wouldn't have to deal with this anymore."

"No!" Maybe her answer came a lot quicker and louder than she had intended but she knew one thing, she wasn't letting him go back to the filthy paws of that horrid woman.

"I mean…" she corrected herself. "It's fine. You can stay here for a couple of days. I'm sure she'll be gone soon."

"Are you absolutely sure? I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You're not."

And if she felt the butterflies in the pit of her stomach come back to life again, she didn't let him know.

#

Silence surrounded them but it wasn't awkward. Robin had agreed to stay in her house with her only because he knew Cruella would be gone in a couple of days. He knew he was going to be back in his camp and be with his son in no time. For now he just had to stay here, keep quiet and hope to God that Regina wouldn't get pissed and kick him out.

She had brought a pillow and a blanket to her living room, knowing Robin liked TV and there was no TV in her guest room. Besides the couch was closer to the kitchen so he wasn't going to bother her every time he was hungry. They were friends, yes, but this was just a formality which was entirely his fault and she wasn't about to make his stay here enjoyable by cooking him meals on top of everything.

So Robin watched Regina quietly descend the stairs, place the sheets carefully on the couch as she ignored his offers to help or his pleas as to how he could have done it himself and he watched her calmly make up a small bed for him on the couch. Of course sleeping next to her wouldn't even have been an option and he was secretly glad he got to have the couch instead of… well the hardwood floor.

He barely listened as she taught him how to use the TV, knowing he was going to be able to figure it out himself later, he just watched her run around in the house, telling him everything he was going to need and he was lying if he said he didn't find it kind of cute. However the uneasiness he detected in her wasn't for his liking so he nodded at everything she said, not wanting to cause any more trouble and intending to keep the conversation short.

"Regina." He addressed her just as she was done and was getting ready to go back up the stairs and retreat to her room for the evening.

"Thank you."

Her questioning gaze turned into a soft smile before she nodded and went back upstairs.

The night came quick and Robin found himself on the couch, going through various TV channels. He clicked next one after another, not liking anything he came across before he finally settled on a movie. His eyes were on screen but he wasn't really watching it, no, he was thinking. He was trying to wrap his mind around Regina's weird gesture. Never would he ever have guessed that she would have said yes to something like this and now she did, it surprised him. He was staying at her couch while she was sleeping only a few feet away from him.

Was it pity? Charity maybe? Is that why she was helping him? Because he couldn't think of any other reason. Well, he did but he quickly forced that thought away from his mind, not wanting to face disappointment later on.

Regina was a stoic woman. It was impossible to know what she was thinking and not knowing killed him.

His mind darted back and forth between these thoughts and before he knew it, he finally dozed off on the couch, with the TV still turned on but on mute.

He woke up hours later in the middle of the night to a sound. Blinking a couple of times, he forced himself to wake up when he heard the same sound coming from the kitchen and he slowly lowered his feet to the floor, intending to go check. Grabbing the remote, he turned off the TV before standing up and walking towards the direction of the kitchen.

When he entered the kitchen however an entirely different sight awaited him. There he saw Regina, her back to him, standing by the counter wearing an over sized shirt with nothing underneath as she quietly worked on something he couldn't quite see from that angle. Her brown hair was a bit messy and it cascaded down her shoulders, bouncing every time she got frustrated and let out a low groan.

Not being able to stop himself, he let out a chuckle at the sight before him which caused her to jump and turn around to face him.

"What are you doing?" he asked first, eyebrows raised.

"Why are you awake?"

"You're not being that quiet." He responded before walking further into the kitchen as he glanced on the counter and saw various ingredients.

"I was making pancakes." She replied, shrugging. "We didn't exactly have dinner."

He smirked in return and threw a look in her direction as he quickly took in her messy appearance, sheepish half smile and her over sized shirt that barely covered her thighs. He practically forced his gaze away from her legs and upon noticing her half undressed state, she quickly grabbed the edges of her shirt and pulled it downwards, attempting to cover her legs.

"Uhm.." he shook his head slightly as he tried to concentrate on what he was going to say. "Do you need help?"

"No, I got it." She quickly replied but before she could get her hands on the pancake batter, he gently pushed her hands aside.

"You're letting me stay here, at least let me do this for you."

"You don't even know how to make pancakes." She put her hands on her hips and gave him a questioning look.

"It can't be that hard." He replied and smiled when he watched her nod with a smirk and lean her back against the counter.

"So…" he said, grabbing a spoon and giving the batter a weird look. Seconds later he decided to at least try and mix it so he wouldn't seem so clueless.

"Where's Henry?"

"He's staying with Emma tonight."

"He seems to be there a lot these days." He remarked without giving it a second thought but when he didn't hear anything back from her, he quickly looked up and saw her staring in the distance with a sad look on her face.

"Yeah…" she quietly spoke.

Cursing at himself, he quickly tried to distract her.

"So what, do I put eggs in it?"

This snapped her out of her thoughts as she quickly turned towards him and let out a chuckle.

"No, you pour it into a pan."

When he frowned and gave her another questioning gaze, her chuckle over his inability to cook turned into a full blown laughter and he was glad to hear that sound coming out of her lips again. Shaking her head, she pulled out a pan from the nearest cupboard and placed it on the stove then crossed her arms, curious to see what he'd do next.

He glanced at the pancake batter first, then he looked back to the pan on the stove, then his gaze fell back on the batter with confusion clouding his features as he quietly tried to figure out what to do next.

"Regina?" he asked after a pause. "What's a pancake again?"

The laugh she let out after that was music to his ears.


	16. Chapter 16

**Thanks to Jordan for reviewing this quickly.  
And I'm gonna go ahead and thank Zoe here cause she has been a great help for the past couple of days!**

* * *

After half an hour of failed attempts at making pancakes and causing the whole house to smell like burnt pastry, halfway through Robin's struggles Regina had taken matters into her own hands and cooked them by herself, all the while telling him how much he sucked at cooking. Now here they were, sitting in her kitchen as they both took little pieces from their pancakes, the flow of the conversation not letting them dig into their plate.

"She really got evicted?" Robin asked with a laugh.

"Her husband stole millions of dollars!"

Her words made them burst into an even louder laughter and Regina thanked God that Henry wasn't here, sleeping upstairs.

"I think it's uhm…" she tried to speak between giggles. "It's rude for us to gossip."

"You're right." He replied, his laughter also dying down. "I wouldn't be sitting here if it wasn't for her."

"Yes, you wouldn't be invading my house."

"You wound me, my lady." He replied placing a hand over his heart. "Does that mean you don't want me here?"

"No." she said but couldn't stop the grin forming on her lips.

"That smile suggests otherwise." He noted, also smiling himself as he watched her give him another sly smile and bury her fork to her plate.

All of a sudden, she tore her gaze from the plate and her eyes landed on his bare arms, not covered by the shirt he was wearing earlier as he sat opposite from her wearing only a sleeveless shirt. Images of Cruella attempting to touch his arms at every chance she got crossed her mind and suddenly her hand reached forward before she could stop herself.

"What are you doing?" he asked amusedly as he watched her reach over and place a hand over his bicep.

"Just testing a theory…" her voice came out low and tantalizing as she was focused on his exposed upper arm only, not bothering to look into his eyes while she spoke.

Her fingers grazed over the bare skin first, too focused to think of anything else as her hand traced his muscles. Robin watched her every move with curiosity but she didn't seem to care as she finally cupped his bicep and squeezed, feeling the hard muscle under her hand. So, that's why Cruella liked it this much…

She was brought back to the present when he cleared his throat and she looked up to find him smirking at her. She instantly pulled her hand away and tucked it between her legs, a mental note to not touch him anymore.

"Sorry, I was just…" she started out but had no idea how to complete her sentence. "Well Cruella does it and I was just curious…" she muttered quietly, shrugging, her gaze focusing back on the pancakes now softened by the syrup because she knew if she looked up, she was going to be faced with that insufferable smirk of his and that was the last thing she wanted.

"You want a full on demonstration?" she suddenly heard him ask.

"I… I didn't say that."

But before she knew it, he got up from his seat and came to stand right next to her. When she looked up, she watched him raise his eyebrows and give her a challenging look and she found herself shaking her head in return.

"Am I gonna regret this?"

"Most probably."

Sighing, but not being able to stop herself, she slowly got up and stood right in front of him as she raised her head to look into his eyes. The absence of her heels made her a lot shorter than him so she focused her stare on his in order to look intimidating.

All of a sudden he slightly crouched and wrapped an arm around her upper thighs, making sure her ass rested on his arm and with a deep breath, he picked her up with one arm. She let out a loud yelp as her hands instantly went to his shoulders to support herself as he tightened his grip around her legs and gave her a proud smile.

"Put me down!" she yelled mixed with amusement.

"You haven't seen what else I can do yet!"

"I get it, you're strong. Put me down now!"

Determined to impress her, he slightly tossed her a bit, earning another scream mixed with laughter as he gauged her every reaction, enjoying this far too much for his liking. Her oversized shirt hiked up to her hip but she was way too excited to notice it.

"Robin!"

"Fine fine." He carefully lowered her down to the ground and when her bare feet touched the cold marble floor of her kitchen, she took a deep breath.

"I don't suppose you showed Cruella the same thing?"

"I did. She didn't complain like you did." He smirked at her and she hit him slightly on the shoulder for it.

They both sat back down to their seats and Regina watched Robin take a bite from his pancakes.

"So… how is this going to work?" she suddenly asked, dipping her index finger in syrup on her plate and bringing it to her lips to lick it. Robin's eyes were instantly drawn to the small gesture, distracting him in the process.

"Uhm.. what?"

"You, me. This marriage. How are we gonna pull it off?" she asked, absentmindedly pulling her finger away from her lips, not realizing the effects it was having on him.

"It's just an act. I can stay here for a couple of days and we can get our story straight."

She nodded before asking. "How about Roland? Henry?"

"Henry is old enough to understand and Roland is young enough not to care as long as he can play with you." He smiled at her.

The thought of his little boy was enough to spread warmth to her heart as her mind darted back to the memory of playing with him. She was willing to play along as long as Roland didn't get hurt. Just then, her eyes caught the clock on the wall and she barely kept herself from spitting out her bite when she saw what time it was.

"I should go to sleep."

He nodded in return and she quickly got up, grabbing his plate for him as she rapidly emptied both plates in the trash and moved on to place them in the sink. As she opened the water and let it run over the porcelain now sticky with syrup, her breath hitched when she suddenly feel his chest press against her back.

He was right behind her and she watched with widened eyes as he leaned forward and grabbed one of the plates, holding it under the running water all the while slowly leaning up against her.

Her senses went numb as she closed her eyes and forgot how to think. Her breath came out shaky and she couldn't help but to lean her back against him a bit, exploiting his close proximity. But this was wrong, very wrong, they weren't supposed to be doing this and she cursed herself for being affected that easily. With a trembling voice, she asked.

"What are you doing?"

"Doing the dishes." He replied innocently. His voice coming from right behind her was enough to send shivers down her spine.

"Is this how you normally do the dishes?"

"Yes, is there a problem with it?"

"No…" she breathed out and before she could stop herself, her head slightly turned towards him and she spoke in a low voice.

"Maybe you should do the dishes more often."

"Maybe I will."

She struggled to breathe from the tension in the air and she knew if she didn't do something to contain herself, she wasn't going to be able to stop what was going to happen next and it scared her, filled her up with anticipation but fear at the same time. She allowed herself to rub against him a bit, feeling his broad chest right behind her shoulders but before she could fully turn towards him and do what she had wanted to do for the past couple of days, he reached over and turned off the faucet.

His actions distracted her and he took a step back right before muttering a soft "Goodnight Regina."

When she turned around, mouth open, breath still ragged, she watched him leave the kitchen, leaving her alone in the darkness.

She let out a long breath she didn't know she was holding.

#

Robin woke up to a loud banging.

For a minute, he closed his eyes again, wanting to get back to his sleep even for a few more minutes but the banging that reached his ears from a distance only kept getting stronger and he was forced to open his eyes again and groan in annoyance.

He was still in Regina's house, that much was clear and when he turned his head slightly to where the sound was coming from, he realized that the source was the door. Someone kept on ringing the door bell and banging, making his blissful morning intolerable and when he glanced at the hallway, he realized Regina had no intention of coming downstairs to face their unwanted guest. So grunting, he got up. After a brief wobbling on his feet caused by still being half asleep, he finally made his way to the door, curious to know who would be knocking on their door at this time of the morning.

When he opened the door however, everything made sense.

"You got married?!"

He tried closing the door again but Emma put her hand against it, stopping him from doing so as she forced herself in and closed the door behind her.

"Good morning to you too." He replied sheepishly and walked back to his couch.

"You got married?" the blonde asked one more time in disbelief, following him to the living room.

"I assume Cruella told you." He said as he sat down on the couch, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Is it true?"

"Yes."

Emma's eyes widened and Robin watched her jaw hang open with shock. He would have enjoyed the sight if it wasn't for his sleepless state. In order not to put the poor woman in a cardiac arrest, he added.

"No… Well, it's complicated."

They were interrupted when they both heard footsteps coming from the stairs as they both watched Regina descend the stairs slowly, tired and sleepy. She was still wearing that shirt of hers that Robin admired oh so very much as she made her way to the living room, frowning when she spotted Emma. However she didn't have to guess why the woman was here before she directed her attention towards her and asked, her voice way too loud for an early morning.

"You married him?!"

"Hello Emma." She replied, similar to Robin as she sat down beside him on the couch and leaned back, too tired to sit up straight. Contrary to them, Emma chose to stand as she paced back and forth in front of them as she watched the two with wide eyes, expecting an answer.

"Tell me when." She said, trying to calm herself down.

"Yesterday." Regina replied, yawning in the process.

"You got married yesterday?!"

"We didn't get married. We just said that we were to scare off Cruella." She answered, as her head rested on the back of the couch, eyes half staring at the ceiling.

"You didn't?"

"No."

"Oh…" Emma replied, finally calming down and sitting on the armchair.

"She ran off and told you right after?" Robin asked, leaning against the couch right next to Regina close enough for their shoulders to brush each other's slightly.

"Not just me…"

Now it was Regina's turn to be surprised as she lifted her head slightly and looked at the blonde.

"Who else?"

"Everyone." Emma confessed, lowering her voice a bit.

"What?!" Regina was sitting up straight now as her eyes watched Emma with fury. Upon hearing her raise her voice, Robin instantly put a hand on her arm.

"Everyone?" he repeated, just to be sure.

When they watched Emma nod quietly and avert her eyes from the couple, Regina's anger was only fueled.

"I'm gonna kill her!" with that she attempted to stand up, her subconscious ordering her to find the woman immediately as she imagined different ways of taking her revenge but a hand on her arm stopped her.

"Hold on a minute, let's think this through." Robin replied from where he was sitting, a hand still on her arm and she hated herself for sitting back down.

"What do you mean everyone?" he asked again, wanting to clarify the situation.

"I mean Henry, my parents…"

"My men?"

"Your men. She practically announced it at the diner, everyone heard it."

There was a beat of silence that passed between them filled with tension as Robin contemplated on his next action. Regina turned her head towards him slightly and she watched the wheels turn in his head as his eyes watched the floor and he frowned in confusion. She couldn't help but to place a hand on his, now both resting on her arm as she tried to gauge his reaction, unaware of Emma's suspicious looks on them.

All of a sudden Robin stood up, leaving Regina's hands as his eyes quickly searched for his clothes. Spotting his pants, he proceeded to put on all the while keeping his silence and making the two women concerned from where they were sitting.

"Robin, what are you doing?" Regina asked but he didn't respond as he grabbed his shirt and put it on. In the midst of buttoning it up, Regina fiercely stood up, a bit mad at him for ignoring his previous question. His movements halted when he felt a hand on his, stopping him from buttoning the shirt any further and when he looked up, he was met with two angry brown eyes.

"I said, what are you doing?"

"I'm leaving."

"To where exactly?" she demanded, hands leaving his as she crossed her arms in front of her.

"I got you into this Regina, it's my job to get you out." With that he crossed the room and started collecting his belongings.

"What does that mean?"

"It means I'm telling her everything." With that he headed for the door, determined to find Cruella and confess his previous lie. Regina had agreed to this, he knew but now their children were involved, not in a way they had planned them to and the last thing he wanted was for her reputation to grow in a town that already suspected her. He wasn't going to drag her down with him.

"Robin, wait!" his hand was on the doorknob when he heard her voice calling him and he slowly turned, curious to know why she would be stopping him.

"Don't." she muttered softly.

"Don't what?"

"Don't tell her. We can still work it out."

"There's nothing to work out Regina, everyone knows including our sons." He argued but he took a couple of steps away from the door.

"We can still pretend for a few more days. When's she's gone, we'll tell everyone the truth."

Confusion mixed with relief filled Robin as he frowned and took a couple of more steps towards her, coming to stand face to face with the brunette. He watched her, eyebrows half raised, lips parted as she looked at him with expecting eyes, waiting for his answer. They were both unaware of Emma's presence who was still seated on the arm chair as she watched the interaction with curious eyes.

"Why are you helping me?" he suddenly asked and watched her gasp inaudibly and stutter before answering.

"You're my friend." She finally settled on saying, throwing his own words back at him.

"Friends don't pretend to be married just for the sake of a jealous woman."

"Yes, they do." She quickly countered.

"No, they don't."

"I care about Roland. I don't want him to get hurt." And it was true. She didn't even want to imagine what would happen if Roland were to be in the same room as Cruella.

"That's not it…" he replied, still gazing deep into her eyes.

After a beat of silence, she let out a sigh and averted her gaze from him, too anxious to make eye contact.

"Robin, you're getting what you want! Why are you asking so many questions?"

"Because I want to know why!"

Exhaling in annoyance she quickly turned away from him, refusing to answer his question as she walked back to the couch and sat down.

The tension was overflowing in the room and that was when Emma decided to intervene.

"Robin, she's right. Maybe you two should go along with it." She replied, standing up and coming face to face with Robin whose eyes were still on Regina.

"How about Roland? Henry? What are we going to tell them?"

"I'll talk to Henry." The blonde quickly replied.

"And I'll talk to Roland, if you're incapable of doing so." Regina mocked him from where she was standing as she turned towards him slightly, eyes challenging him.

"I can talk to my own son."

"Then what is the problem?" she asked, standing up and walking over to him one more time but this time, there was a glint of playfulness in her eyes that made him draw in a sharp breath the minute they made eye contact.

"Are you scared of being married to me, outlaw?" her words teased him and the smile she was giving him only worked in her favor.

Robin's gaze was focused on Regina who was still busy giving him a subtle smile. For a second, he thought it through, weighted the pros and cons in his head. There was a slight pause. His mind darted back to his son. Roland liked Regina, Robin didn't think his son would get hurt from his deal. His mind was made however when Regina raised her eyebrows and her smile grew even wider.

Of course he wanted to be married to her.

"Let's do it."

#

The rest of the day was spent with complicated conversations and understanding glances that passed between the two of them as they desperately tried to make their sons understand. It hadn't been that hard with Roland since he still had some trouble understanding the concept of marriage but when he yelled and asked if he could call Regina his mother, Regina pretended not to hear and let Robin make the appropriate explanation to his son. It hadn't been that difficult to soothe the boy who in return had shrugged and kept on playing.

Henry had been the difficult one. The boy just refused to understand how his mother could go from loathing the town's thief to marrying him in a heartbeat as his gaze switched back and forth between the two adults, trying to see any kind of affection that was exchanged between the two. But Regina had refused to tear her gaze from her son not even for a second as she explained the basics of her marriage to Robin all the while the latter just sat there in silence, listening and occasionally nodding.

Now here they were back in Regina's house and even though Robin had tried ignoring the slight change in Regina, he had left the topic alone, not wanting to pressure her any longer. She seemed to be deep in thought during the rest of the afternoon and she had even disappeared for an hour, telling him she had business to discuss with Emma. Robin had just shrugged and directed his attention to his son, secretly glad that Little John was okay with taking care of the boy for a couple more nights.

Robin's eyes were on the TV's screen as he absentmindedly changed the channels. He was so deep in thought that he didn't hear Regina coming downstairs. His senses were alerted when a deep blue box was tossed on to his lap and he jumped in surprise, eyes coming to land on the mysterious object.

"Here, we might as well wear these." He heard Regina speak from behind him and when his hands grabbed the box and he opened it with curiosity, he saw a simple golden wedding band shimmering in the light. When his eyes turned to her with surprise, she just shrugged in return.

"Didn't know you were sentimental, my lady." He replied as he stood up and walked over to her, lips curving into a smirk.

"I'm not." She said, rolling her eyes. "Cruella was suspicious the other day." She explained innocently.

He nodded in understanding before his eyes caught the other blue box that she twirled in her hands, anxious to open it as he watched her fidget with it.

"May I?" he asked, gesturing the box and she just nodded, handing it to him to take a look.

He took the box from her hands, fingers slightly brushing against hers as he opened it. Inside it was another golden wedding ring, similar to his but this one was thinner and it was a lot more elegant. The two rings matched in style and for some reason it made him a little proud.

"Let's do this properly then."

"Excuse me?" but before she had a chance to demand some more explanation to his previous statement, she watched him slowly kneel down in front of her. When she realized what he was doing, she couldn't help but to burst into laughter.

"If you could stop laughing, I'm trying to concentrate." He said, also trying hard not to laugh.

"I'm sorry it's just…. I had never thought I'd see you like this." She replied in between giggles as she felt a soft blush beginning to appear on her cheeks. It was sweet, he was sweet and she found herself unintentionally getting excited over a matter as stupid as this was. It was a mock marriage, she knew, but she couldn't help but to gasp when he slowly opened the box and she came face to face with the ring she had spent hours staring at, contemplating whether to show Robin or not.

"Regina…" he began, his voice started out serious but when she closed her eyes and giggled one more time in front of him, he also chuckled and watched the floor before returning his gaze back to her, determined to do this.

"Robin…" she replied mockingly and he rolled his eyes.

"Your hand please, my lady." He said and she drew out her hand that was clasped tightly to her other behind her back. He took it and laced their fingers together. When another giggle threatened to escape her lips, he tightened his grip on her and she bit the insides of her cheeks in order to prevent herself.

"I'm listening."

"Will you do the honors of being my fictitious wife?"

She sank her teeth to her bottom lip in order to stifle another giggle but she finally let out a smile when she saw how genuine the look was that clouded his blue eyes.

"Certainly." She breathed out and she felt her heart beat even faster when he let go of her hand only to draw out the ring from the box and gently slip it onto her ring finger.

When he stood back up and smiled at her, she couldn't help but to smile back, the butterflies in the pit of her stomach preventing her from speaking another word.

"Regina Locksley…" he said and she rolled her eyes. "Regina of Locksley… Mrs. Robin Locksley."

"At least you're not associating me with the name 'Hood'".

"That depends, will you be joining my Merry Men?" he asked and she let out a laugh.

There was a moment where the room was filled with her laughter but when it finally died down, they were once again left alone with each other, unsure of what to do next. No, Robin knew what he wanted to do next but he was waiting for the right moment.

"I think this is the part where we kiss." He suddenly said, drawing out a sharp breath from her as her eyes widened in surprise.

"This is this part where I remind you that this is all fake." She replied, crossing her arms in front of her.

In return, Robin raised his hands in a defensive state and stepped back.

"Alright okay." He replied, still smiling despite the fact that she had just turned him down.

Her gaze lingered on his as she watched him for a second, blue eyes looking anywhere but her as he desperately tried to avert his gaze from her. She guessed it was because he was slightly embarrassed but he had no reason to be, she had thought. It was sweet, adorable even and him backing away only made her want to take a step towards him. Her eyes watched his face, a few days old unshaven stubble and she physically had to stop her hand from running her fingers through it and she imagined her hand trailing down his jaw line all the way down to his chest and his-

"Regina?" his words interrupted her and she was brought back to the present.

Her gaze left him and she raised her hand slightly only to watch her hand proudly carrying the ring; the ring which stated that she was his, and he was hers. Her eyes switched back and forth between the golden band and his blue eyes now clouded with confusion and she took a deep breath before making her decision and walking over to him.

Her hand made contact first as her fingers touched the skin on his neck. Bringing her body even closer to his, she let her eyes linger on his for a few seconds but her gaze switched to his lips right after, not being able to stop herself. Before he had a chance to ask her what was going on, her grip on the back of his neck only tightened and she brought him down to her lips all the while she raised to her tiptoes to meet him halfway.

Their lips made contact and she gave him a brief kiss, one that was just seconds longer than a peck and before he had a chance to wrap his arms around her and deepen the kiss, she pulled back.

The look he gave her, eyebrows slightly raised, lips still parted and wet only brought a smile to her lips as she giggled and left his embrace. Turning away from him, she made her way back to her room, knowing he was standing there and watching her with shock.

It was amazing how much power she had over him.

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**I hope you all are still on board with this story like I am! **


	17. Chapter 17

**Can I just say... ZOE AND BELA ARE TWO PRECIOUS ANGELS WHO RESIDE ON THIS EARTH AS A BLESSING AND THEY SHOULD BE PROTECTED AT ALL COSTS! Really this chapter wouldn't have been this awesome without them and I don't have words to describe how much I love them!**  
**THANK YOU SO MUCH YOU GUYS**  
**And a short thank you to Zeynep who sat there, drank coffee and lit cigarette after a cigarette as I rambled about my story, thank you for your patience :)**

**Ahh my longest chapter.. here it goes...**

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The little digital clock that sat on the coffee table right next to the couch showed 2.34 am as Robin slightly turned his head towards it and sighed.

He hated technology.

Ironically, he turned his head back to the TV, his tired eyes squinting to focus on another pointless box game he had been watching -including the reruns -for the past couple of hours. It seemed he was willing to do anything to distract himself except for sleep.

One hand was brought up to rub his eyes as he lay down on the couch, buried deep under the covers and, a bit sweaty. What was with Regina and her beloved thermostat?

He groaned and pushed the covers down until they rested low on his mid-section so he could at least take a deep breath. For a second he contemplated whether to take his shirt off or not. However, the thought quickly disappeared from his head when he was reminded of what was underneath it.

No, he did not want to wander around shirtless in Regina's house, not when she had a chance to see him like that.

Well, technically she wouldn't have. For a brief moment, his mind wondered if Regina was actually asleep or not. Then he shook his head in confidence, of course she was asleep; it was almost 3 am.

However, he didn't have to think for too long as he suddenly heard sound coming from behind him, and when he forced herself to turn around and glance at the stairs, he watched Regina slowly descending them, one hand tightly clutching the robe she was wearing over her nightgown, the other trailing down the banister.

Well, wasn't that a surprise?

At first, she lazily made her way towards the kitchen but when her eyes caught a glimpse of Robin lying on the couch and watching her with curious eyes, she practically jumped in surprise.

"I didn't mean to scare you." he assured her, voice not above a whisper. There was no one else in the house besides them and somehow he felt the need to keep his volume low. It was probably because of the effects of having a five year old.

"What are you doing up?" she asked, her voice as quiet as his. Before he had a chance to answer her question, he suddenly noticed her slightly flushed cheeks and messy hair, probably caused by tossing and turning in bed for many hours. Was she also unable to sleep or…?

"Are you okay?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Yeah, why are you awake?"

"Very interesting game…" he replied, gesturing the TV.

"Isn't this the third time you've watched this?" she asked in confusion as she clutched the edges of the robe even tighter in her hand, walking over to him, sitting down on the couch right next to his stomach and, forcing him to back up in order to give her space.

"The guy in the blue shorts is winning." He stated, making another unnecessary observation as he watched her roll her eyes and grab the remote from his hands. She changed channels for a minute or two before settling on a movie before she turned to him with expectant eyes.

"You up for a horror movie?"

"And what's that?"

"It's my chance at making fun of you, come on." she replied, suddenly the color returning to her cheeks with the thought of getting him scared as she put a hand on his arm, practically forcing him to get up.

He groaned in protest, but when he saw the smile she was giving him, he didn't need to hear any more words. Besides, when did he pass up the opportunity to spend a night with her?

So, forcing his body to obey his orders, he sat up straight. He slightly bumped into Regina in attempts to place his feet on the floor and she laughed slightly at his clumsiness.

When he was finally sitting right next to her, he watched her lean back against the couch with a sigh as she got comfortable and focused her eyes on TV before them. Robin in return just grabbed the cover from underneath him and draped it over them, glad to see her pulling it further towards her body.

After a couple of seconds spent with watching her reaction to the movie that was playing before them, Robin finally turned his attention to the TV, curious to know what this _horror_ movie was about. Leaning back, he watched with curious eyes as a female character wandered around in what appeared to be some kind of an attic and he watched her struggle to see in the dark. His gaze switched back to Regina and he cracked a smile when he saw her transfixed to the scene in front of them with wide eyes. She really liked this.

There was a brief moment of him just watching her, but before she had a chance to scold him for it, a sudden loud noise emerged from the TV and they both jumped in their seats, startled by the abrupt sound.

"What was that?" he couldn't help but ask as he leaned into her a bit.

"You would have seen if you were watching the movie."

"I was!"

"No, you weren't."

Before he was able to answer her and explain his excuse for not paying attention, the woman in the movie screamed in horror and they were both forced to turn their attention to the TV as they watched said woman run around in the house in fear.

Regina shivered in anticipation as she watched the screen, eyes practically glued to the TV. She remembered seeing Henry watch this movie a year ago and she had scolded him for it, telling him those movies were for grown-ups only. And indeed, for the following week, he had kept seeing nightmares. Regina now knew why, as she subconsciously leaned against Robin, her shoulders touching his now.

Robin's hand was left behind her when she leaned in, trapped between her body and the couch. He moved it slightly around her to make them both more comfortable, his fingers resting on her waist as they both heard another scream emerging from the TV. Regina leaned in to him even closer and his fingers subconsciously moved to rest on high on the curve of her ass as he sat there, transfixed on the screen before him.

They spent half an hour like this, both focused on the movie. Halfway through it Regina had leaned in even further, and now she was resting her head on his shoulder as his thumb slowly caressed her hip.

The main character on TV was still running away from some sort of a demon, when unfortunately, the creature caught up with her. They both watched as the woman recklessly tried to fight with it before it slit her throat, blood spluttering everywhere. Regina made a disgusted face as Robin averted his gaze from the screen, frowning in disgust.

"With fighting like that, I'm not surprised that she's murdered." she spoke quietly against his chest.

"You're saying you know how to fight better?" he asked with a smug smile.

He didn't hear her answer but instead he felt her nod silently and lean further into his chest, intending to close the subject. However he had better ideas. Without being able to stop himself, he suddenly blurted out; "prove it."

His words got her attention as she raised her eyebrows in surprise and her lips curved into a wicked smile. Part of her was still focused on the movie, curious to know what would happen next but another part of her came up with millions of ideas as to how she could have fun with this. Because she knew she could, and with his hand on her lower hip sending shock waves through her by each passing second, he deserved a little payback.

Her right hand met his on her hip as she leisurely started caressing it for a moment or two, drawing a confused 'hmm' from him before her fingers found the exact spot she had been looking for and pressed down on it, eliciting a low groan from him.

"What was that?" he couldn't help but ask, barely stopping himself from pulling his hand away from her body to rub on the spot that was still hurting.

"They're called pressure points." she explained, her fingers still rubbing his hand to ease the pain. "If applied pressure correctly, they can give you immense pain."

His half surprised 'oh?' brought a smile to her lips as she turned her head towards him slightly to watch his reaction. His grip on her only tightened as he leaned towards her and whispered against her ear.

"Show me more."

It was enough to send shivers down her spine as she bit her lower lip and closed her eyes in excitement that she had no idea where it was coming from. After all, they were innocently watching a movie as two friends and it wasn't her place to feel anticipation building up inside of her. And yet she couldn't help but tremble slightly as her hand found his again.

However, this time, instead of rubbing soothing circles on it, her fingers laced with his and she found the part between his thumb and forefinger. Without warning she took the flesh between her fingers and squeezed, hearing another groan coming from him, but this time a bit louder.

"There's one here." she explained, fingers rubbing the skin she just squeezed, attempting to relieve at least some of the pain she caused. When she turned towards him again, she saw his eyes filled with curiosity and his silence urged her to continue. So she did, with a smile.

She reached over and grabbed his other hand which was resting on the arm of the couch and brought it to her lap, her hands searching for that one particular spot that would cause him the kind of pain she wanted. It wasn't long before her fingers came to rest on his forearm and she pinched slightly. From beside her, he winced in pain but refused to let out a sound.

"And here." she said, but this time she raised one hand and angled her body towards him only to place her fingers behind his ear.

He expected pain, but instead he was surprised when she chose not to apply pressure but instead opted to caress the spot gently. The little massage she was giving him was enough to relax him and calm his nerves. His head turned to her and he watched her stare at him with a complex expression on her face that he couldn't quiet place and he licked his lips slightly. Her gaze was immediately drawn to his mouth and she mirrored his actions, her tongue coming out to moisten her own lips and her gaze was back on his eyes again, both of them staring at each other in the silence.

"You want more?" she whispered.

"Always." he breathed out and she could feel her heart beating faster in her chest.

It only took her a couple of seconds to contemplate her next actions, wondering if she should be going through with it or not.

She _definitely_ shouldn't… but that didn't stop her.

Taking a deep breath, she dropped her hand from his face and sat up slightly. Aware of his stare fixed on her, she drew her legs from underneath her and straddled him on the couch, coming to sit down on his lap, right on his thighs.

It took every fiber of her being to not laugh at the surprised reaction on his face as she bit the insides of her cheeks and placed her hands on his shoulders. She watched him part his lips in astonishment and she boldly leaned in to him. Her face was almost buried in the crook of his neck and her lips tickled his skin, but he held his breath and felt her fingers move to the back of his neck only to find a particular spot at the base and press down on it.

He gasped and his hands shot up to her waist as he gripped it tightly and pulled her against him, attempting to stop the pressure on the back of his neck that was currently giving him pain. To his luck, it worked and she let out the low feminine chuckle of hers that he adored oh so very much. She pulled back and stared at him.

"Had enough?"

He had definitely had enough, but he had no intention to stop this little game of hers, so this time it was him who leaned into her and spoke in a hushed tone against her ear.

"Hit me with your best shot."

_Oh_ he had _no idea_ what he was in for…

Biting her lower lip, she silently accepted the challenge with a nod of her head and her hands found his neck again as she kept on caressing it slowly. Robin was feeling a bit anxious, kind of scared to know what she had in store for him but he was willing to go through anything if it meant spending another minute with her straddling him. So, raising his eyebrows, he gave her a smug smile and urged her to continue.

Her gaze shifted to his neck, and once again she bent her head, only to trace his collarbone with the fluttering touch of her lips. She felt satisfied when she managed to elicit a low moan from him that she was sure he hadn't had any intention of letting out. When her lips found the spot she was looking for, the jugular vein, she slowly kissed it before pulling back and replacing her lips with her fingers. All of a sudden, she hit the exact spot with the side of her hand, cutting off his blood supply as she watched him fall apart beneath her.

He stopped breathing for a second and his hand instantly shot up to his neck. For a second he was sure that he was about to pass out, but instead he felt dizzy and disoriented as he let out an involuntary cough and struggled to take a breath. When he finally did, he groaned in enormous pain and coughed some more in order to relieve the pressure that was built up in his throat.

"A bit harsher and I would have knocked you out." she gloated, still seated on his lap as she looked down to him with a smug smile.

"You…" he managed to say but his voice came out hoarse and he had to wait a moment to start speaking again.

Upon seeing his struggle, Regina's facial expression softened and before she knew it, her fingers were on his neck again, ignoring his wince at the thought of her hitting him again as she started rubbing soothing circles on his skin to calm him down. She should have been gloating some more –he had asked for it –so why was she feeling traces of guilt inside of her?

"You okay?"

"What else?"

"What?" she asked in surprise as she pulled back a little to look into his eyes.

"Show me more." he demanded and she had to bite her lower lip to stop herself from giggling.

"You almost passed out and you want more?"

He was okay. Yes, his voice was still a bit hoarse but he had stopped coughing and his breathing was back to regular. And instead of being in pain, he was giving her a smug smile that she had no choice but to mirror in surprise.

"Show me more." he repeated in determination and she sighed.

Of course she wasn't going to do anything big; the man had almost died for God's sake but she would be lying if she said she wasn't feeling a bit playful.

A wicked idea popped into her mind and she gave him a sultry smile before replying a whispered _'okay'_. Her hands moved to his shoulders again.

"Of course this place is a bit sensitive." with that she scooted up a bit on his legs, coming to sit down right on his crotch and suddenly rubbed her pelvis against his, feeling his length invade between her legs and she sat down on it and watched him gasp. His grip instantly tightened around her waist and he kept himself from letting out a groan and embarrassing himself.

His reaction was gold so before she knew it, she was rubbing herself against him again but this time, enjoying the sensations more than the reaction she was getting from him. She felt him harden underneath her as she closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. She rocked against his crotch, her hips jolting forward then back again, losing herself with his body.

"I want pay back," he suddenly whispered and she opened her eyes to face his expectant look before he added; "teach me _your_ vulnerable spots".

She wasn't going to, she was sure of it. But he had that adorable pout on his lips and she was having a hard time finding a reason not to show him. The dilemma in her head was short lived.

His hands were still on his waist but his grip was now loose and she sat up slightly and placed her hands at her back only to grab his and lower them down. When his fingers rested on her lower back, she nodded and he pressed down ever so gently. Instead of giving her pain, he was helping her relax and she was grateful for it.

As his fingers kept on massaging the soft skin of her back over her nightgown, she leaned into him and rested her forehead on his shoulder, letting out a low moan. Silence surrounded them and the only thing she heard was his breathing against her ear and the slight shuffle of her nightgown under his touch. She shifted her weight from her legs and relaxed on his lap, not wanting the moment to end.

From the back of her head, a voice screamed at her saying that she wasn't supposed to be here, that this wasn't what friends did and she was well aware that they were slowly crossing that line past friendship. But his fingers slid a bit lower and whatever uncertainty she had in her mind disappeared.

Pulling back, she grabbed his wrists and pulled her hands away from her waist. She was met with his confused expression but it was replaced with a surprised one when she spoke again.

"There's one other place…"

She guided his right hand to the inside of her thigh and when his fingers came into contact with her bare skin that was exposed thanks to the nightgown hiking up to her hips, she let go of his hand and closed her eyes.

"Here?"

"A bit higher."

He moved his hand higher and his fingers were now trapped between their bodies as he slowly caressed the inside of her thigh, slightly touching the edge of her underwear. Her low moan encouraged him to move even further as his other hand rested on her upper leg.

When he finally felt the wetness that was pooled in her underwear, he gasped in surprise. It was too late to back down now and he had no intention to. When he looked back up, he saw her eyes closed, cheeks flushed. Her lips were slightly parted as she breathed heavily, anticipating his next move. He could swear it was the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

Ever so slowly, he rubbed her back and forth as she let out an even louder moan and rocked on to his hand, wanting to feel every bit of the pleasure he was providing for her. Her head fell onto his shoulder one more time as she held on to his biceps and sighed.

What his fingers were doing to her through her underwear was deliciously good and she felt compelled to let out another sound that had him responding with an equally low groan.

His fingers were being burrowed under the soaked crotch of her panties and he felt how much she really wanted him when her body shook in an undeniable series of shudders. Enthralled with the rapturous display, he pressed his hand against her engorged flesh, feeling her wetness drip down onto his fingers.

"Regina..." Her name spilled from his lips and her mouth found his neck one more time as she decorated it with small fluttering kisses. Her hands left his arms and found the collar of the t shirt he was wearing as she tugged it downward, her patience wearing thin by each passing second.

He parted the swollen folds of her and delved his fingers into the hot wetness awaiting him inside and she sat back up with a loud moan as she exhaled heavily, her hands coming to hold his wrist to halt his movements.

"Take me to my bedroom."

He removed his hand from between her legs and she instantly missed the warmth. However, she gasped when his hands found her ass and he scooped her up. Standing, he let her wrap her legs around his waist as he tightened his grip on her before starting to walk towards the direction of her bedroom, the movie long forgotten.

Millions of thoughts raced through his mind, the primary one being; were they really doing this? Was she really letting him carry her to her bedroom? He tried to detect a hint of reluctance in her actions; something that would make him put her down instantly and back away to the living room. However all his thoughts dissolved into nothing when she held even tighter onto his neck and started trailing soft kisses down to his collarbone.

When they finally reached the bedroom, he placed her down on the bed, but it wasn't long before she grabbed the edge of his shirt and pulled him down with her.

He landed on top of her, both of his elbows coming to rest on the bed either side of her head as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and breathed her in. The budge in his pants only grew and created a friction that made him slightly uncomfortable. However, before he had a chance to place his lips on hers, her legs tightened around his waist and she flipped them over, earning a surprised gasp from him.

Her lips attacked his neck, nipping and sucking as she straddled him , rubbing down on his erection. His hands found her legs as he caressed them back and forth, his fingers threatening to creep up to her ass.

Regina was an exciting lover as her hands frivolously roamed all over his body, impatient to explore all over him. He couldn't wait for her to do exactly that but when her hands found the edge of his shirt and tugged it slightly, silently telling him to take it off, he suddenly froze.

His hands were immediately on hers as he halted her actions.

She couldn't. She wasn't supposed to.

His fingers found her face and he guided her to look up to him. When she did -with hungry eyes and flushed cheeks -he spoke.

"You're beautiful."

The smile he got in return was breathtaking but before he had chance to utter another word her mouth was on his neck and her hands found the edge of his shirt once more, making him squirm under her touch.

"Regina…"

"Robin, what is it?" she breathed out, suddenly sitting up.

"Nothing." he lied and she immediately raised her eyebrows in question.

"Don't you want this?" he heard her voice change and she suddenly removed her hands from his body, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. It immediately made him grab her hands and lace their fingers together before he gave her reassuring smile. He pulled her closer and she came to lie on top of him as he showered the side of her neck with kisses and his hands found her waist.

"I want you more than anything." he whispered against her hair and she smiled into his neck.

Once she got her confirmation, her hands found his shirt again, intending to take it off but his right hand was on her wrist again, stopping her from doing so. It made her freeze as she sat up one more time. However instead of her sultry smile, she gave him a confused look. Her gaze switched back and forth between his eyes and the hands she had on his shirt.

"Robin, what is it?"

"Nothin-"

"What is it that you don't want me to see?" Her voice was sharp but when she watched him lean his head back on the pillow and let out a sigh, she immediately softened and leaned over him, her eyes searching for his.

Her fingers were on his face as she slowly caressed his stubble and directed his attention towards her, her eyes gentle and understanding. When he chose to stay silent, she became even more worried, half of her concerned that she was the cause of his sudden reluctance. No, he wasn't reluctant; his hands kept on stroking her legs in small soothing movements and she could still feel his half erection pressed between her legs. She desperately tried to understand the problem and when her left hand slid back to his shirt again, his hand was on hers to stop her.

It was the shirt.

She raised her eyebrows in shock and realization as her gaze switched back and forth between the shirt and his eyes which were now staring at the ceiling to avoid her gaze. During the time she spent at night in her room, tossing and turning, she had imagined every single thing about him, whether he would be gentle or harsh, exciting or slow, she never once imagined him to be self-conscious. Or… There was something he didn't want her to see.

She pressed her forehead against his and forced him to look at her.

"It's okay." she whispered and her hands went back and forth on his body, over his shirt. Rubbing it in a soothing way, she didn't dare once try and lift the shirt off of his body though one of his hands was still holding on to her wrist, just in case she decided to do so. But she didn't, instead she gently kissed his cheek and whispered against his ear.

"Show me."

She felt him let out a shaky breath as her lips found the corner of his mouth and she pressed another gentle kiss on it. "It's okay."

Much to her surprise, he eased off the pressure on her wrist and she took it as permission.

Robin's skin was on fire. As her fingers lifted off his body only to slowly reach the edges of his shirt once more, he leaned his head back on the pillow and exhaled slowly; half afraid of what was to come next. He could feel every part of his skin her hand came to contact with and her touch burned him with fear.

She lifted the shirt, revealing his body to her inch by inch as her eyes widened with the sight before her.

There were scars, everywhere; some of them years old and some of them fresh as though he had gotten them just weeks ago. His whole torso was covered in them, various wounds now dark reddish, some of them almost black. It wasn't long before realization dawned on her.

Battle scars.

They were all caused by different weapons, and she could almost pinpoint the angle of the knife that had cut through him by the angle of the scar right on his chest. Her fingers dared to touch one broad and ghastly looking one on his ribs, the fluttering feeling of her hand instantly making him close his eyes and sigh loudly.

When he opened them once more, he saw the pained expression on his face, eyebrows drawn together and the more she lifted his shirt, the more she winced, making his insides crush with embarrassment and hatred for himself. His eyes went to her body, still straddling him as he subconsciously examined her arms and legs, exposed by the hiked up nightgown and half open robe, still partially tied by the knot.

She was perfect.

Her creamy white skin, when juxtaposed with his ugly one, created a harsh contrast and it only made him want to avoid her eyes completely. Millions of thoughts raced in his head, the primary one being he wasn't good enough for her, and he painfully waited for the moment when she would be done looking and crawl out of the bed. Dropping his hands from her body, he clenched his fists and waited for the inevitable.

However, the messy stream of thoughts invading his mind came to sudden halt when he felt her lean in and press a kiss to a scar he remembered getting just a year ago in an ugly accident he preferred not to be reminded of. When he opened his eyes in surprise, he was met with her dark brown ones and he watched her give him a gentle smile.

"These…" she spoke as her fingers traced the scar she just kissed, "…say Robin Hood, and I wouldn't have him any other way."

His eyes widened and before he had any chance to find the right words to say, she closed in and crashed her lips to his. It took a moment for him to respond, still trying to process what just happened as his hands subconsciously came to hold her waist and pull her even closer to him. She sighed into his mouth as he returned her kiss eagerly, but on the contrary to her harsh kisses and soft moans, he was moving a lot slower, taking his time with her. His tongue explored her mouth and when she bit down on his lower lip, he only brought a hand to her hair and ran his fingers through it.

He flipped them over and came to rest on top of her, between her legs, slowing down her erratic movements. When their lips parted, she was panting slightly as she rested her head on the mattress and stared up at him.

She had never ceased to amaze him and he loved her for it. All of a sudden his eyes widened at the use of the word and he couldn't help but to do a quick mental check, just to make sure. Did he love her?

As she lay beneath him with flushed cheeks and parted lips, her dark hair spread sporadically over the white pillow, he stared at her silently, ignoring the fact that her hands were moving frantically over his back, trying to get him to move. However, before she had a chance to grab his neck and crash their lips together once more, his curious eyes got her attention and she froze. She watched him watch her with daze, a hint of perplexity present on his face.

Suddenly, she felt a bit shy as a blush crept up to her cheeks. But before she had a chance to turn her head away from him with a hesitant smile, his hand found her cheek and he made her look up to him.

Bending down, he placed one gentle kiss on her parted lips and she responded eagerly, her hands coming up to his shoulders. Taking his time with her, he breathed her in and savored her own feminine taste that he felt himself getting addicted to as she deepened the kiss. He smiled against her lips and her hands grabbed his shirt once more which was now hiked up awkwardly to his chest.

They broke the kiss for a second just so she could take it off and when she was faced with his bare skin, covered by ugly scars and wounds, she felt him stiffen under her touch. Looking up, she watched him avoid her eyes again which caused her to bring a hand to his face.

"Hey, look at me." she spoke with a gentle voice. He complied and met her gaze. Capturing his lips once more, she carried him away from his thoughts all the while burying her hand in his hair.

It wasn't fair. She knew what he was thinking, she could easily guess. It was the exact same feeling she had experienced when as a queen, she had that horrid fight with the king which resulted in an eternal scar that made her feel worthless for years, disgusted with him that he dared ruin her beauty.

But this was different; his scars meant something to her. They were a symbol of how he struggled all those years just to survive and keep his son alive and he was a fool if he thought that it was a turn off for her. So without shame, she deepened the kiss and wrapped her legs around him.

She could feel his length pressing against the inside of her thigh and she groaned in half frustration as his lips left her mouth and found her neck. He decorated her skin with open mouthed kisses as he occasionally bit down, eliciting a soft moan from her. His lips traced down her neck and when he reached the edge of her nightgown, he pulled one strap aside with his teeth. Regina's hand pressed down on the back of his neck, encouraging him to move forward as she closed her eyes and leaned back, enjoying the sensations he brought with his body on top of hers.

She felt one hand grab her upper thigh as he pulled her leg even closer to his body and she ground against him, hoping to relieve the friction between her thighs. But he wasn't helping her, no, instead he was busy with tracing her neck with her lips, his fluttering kisses enough to send shivers down her spine but not exactly enough to ignite the fire burning inside her.

Encouraging him to move on, her fingers went up to his pants, intending to take them off but she was met with a hand on her wrist as he took her arm and directed it away from his lower body, all the while he continued his assault on her neck with slow and sensual kisses.

Regina sighed in annoyance when he dared to bring his mouth to her cheek and start kissing the soft skin there. Her hands came to press against his chest and before he could place another kiss on her, she pushed him away.

Supporting himself on his knees and looking down at her, he gave her a confused frown. For a second, thousands of different thoughts raced through his head and he worried that she had changed her mind, that she did not want him.

He was seconds away from getting off of the bed when her lips curved into a sultry smile and she spoke.

"Robin, I want you."

Her hands went to the knot that was still keeping the robe together on her petite body and she unfastened it, her eyes never leaving his for a second. Then she added with a whisper; "Now."

With that, her hands found the waist line of his pants and she pulled him on top of her again.

"But I want to take my time." he whispered against her ear and she rolled her eyes.

"Can't you just take your time next time?" she whined as her hands pressed down on his back to make him lie heavily in between her legs, attempting to feel at least some pleasure out of this romance thing he was trying with her.

"There's gonna be a next time?"

His words made her freeze as she opened her eyes and turned to look at him.

"I did not say that." she replied in a hesitant voice.

"Yes, you did."

She sighed and leaned her head back as her arms dropped on the mattress from his shoulders. "Are we really doing this now?"

"You started it."

She bit her lower lip and eyed him up and down. No, if there was one thing in her mind it was that she wasn't letting him interrupt this, not before she could change her mind.

With the heat between her legs still present and getting hard to control, she grabbed him from his shoulders and flipped them.

"Well, I'm ending it." With that her lips were on his again as she rubbed down onto him.

He cupped one of her breasts through the thin fabric of her nightgown, relishing her strangled sigh. She slid her hand over his, then shifted until his skin lay against hers just inside the neckline of the nightgown. She wore nothing underneath, the hot flesh fitting perfectly in his palm. Then she moved his fingers so that he was pinching her distended nipple.

Her shiver made him groan.

He traced a wet trail down the length of her neck, then back again. Sighing into his mouth, her hands left his body momentarily only to shake off the now open robe from her arms and when the shameful garment was tossed on the floor, her fingers were back on his naked torso, stroking and caressing his muscular chest, realizing she had been wanting to do that since she had seen him with Cruella at the diner. So she savored her moments with him, her hands moving on their own accord as she felt him thrust against her through layers of fabric.

She was beyond wet, and his hands still trailing down her back weren't doing her any good. So she pressed her body against his and sought his other hand.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he realized this wasn't going at all as planned. He was the one who was supposed to be in control and seduce her senseless until nothing remained but her crying out in the night. He wanted to do this properly, no matter how much she ground and rubbed against him in endless arousal.

So with one sudden move, he flipped them back again so he was on top and he let out a smug chuckle when he heard her groan in annoyance under him. One hand still cupping her breast, he let go only to pull the fabric down to expose her nipple to him.

Having revealed a new part of her skin, his mouth hungrily closed around her breast as he made her moan deliciously. She arched her back and let him continue his assault on her body. When he finally let go only to look up, his gaze fixed onto hers, seeing in the depths of her eyes a desire so consuming, he nearly shoved the flimsy nightgown up right then. Instead, he lowered his mouth to hers and claimed her lips once more.

She pulled him against her, his erection fitting perfectly between her spread thighs, her hands tugging at the drawstring of his pants. He caught the marauding limbs and held them still at her sides, plundering her mouth with his tongue, drinking in her low, feminine whimpers, nipping at her swollen lips until she sank into the mattress, giving in to his demands to be in control.

It was a desperate decision on her part and if he hadn't been kissing her so delightfully, she would have been on top of him once more. Instead she let herself lose control under his touch, all the while her fingers got lost in his hair, bringing him even closer to her body which was now on fire with need.

This time when she reached to undress him, he let her, too distracted by her parted lips on his mouth. Moments later, his pants and boxers rested right next to her robe on the floor and she was sliding down the mattress to position herself under his hard arousal, jutting her hips up until her soaked panties were all that separated them.

Her nightgown was already hiked up to around her waist and she didn't find the power in herself to break their contact and take it off. Instead she reached for her underwear, intending to remove the only barrier between their sexes, but he caught her gently by the wrists again.

His pulse pounded in his ears, blood roared through his straining erection and he felt himself seconds away from forgetting the whole thing and just ravishing her body with his mouth.

"Uh-uh," he said, entwining his fingers with hers, then bringing her hands to his mouth where he lazily kissed them, fighting to regain some of the precious ground he had lost in the past few minutes. "Please… indulge me."

He watched her watch him as he observed the slight shift in her features, her eyebrows drawing together in confusion. A long moment later, she swallowed then nodded ever so slightly. He smiled and slowly began lifting her arms above her head where he gently asked her to keep them in place, half knowing that she was going to rebel anyway. Earning a sigh of frustration from her followed by another nod, he slid down until he was crouched between her thighs, then hooked both his index fingers under the waist of her panties. Slowly, torturously, he drew them down… lower and lower. He continued the downward movement until she lifted her legs, allowing him to toss the indecent scrap of silk aside along with the rest of their clothing.

Spreading her legs out on either side of him, he gazed down at her longingly. He realized how much he wanted to be down there, drink from her, until she screamed out his name in orgasm. But what he was working toward… well, it was more important and enthralling than any other climax. When she reached climax, he wanted to be there with her, drinking in her soft cries and holding her close until their bodies collapsed in exhaustion.

Sitting back, he curved his hands between her legs and under her hips then tugged her until her bottom was elevated off the mattress, her swollen flesh resting against his hard, throbbing length.

Go slow, he mentally ordered himself, resisting the overpowering urge to plunge into her hot flesh and thrust into her. But there was too much at stake to risk it. He didn't know if he was ever going to have this kind of moment again with her, even if she had just slipped the uncertainty of their future relationship. He just couldn't risk it.

Instead, still clutching her bottom, he drew his hips so that the inflamed tip of his arousal rested between her swollen folds. But rather than thrusting in, he thrust up, through her flesh, not stopping until his head rested against her clit, all the while holding her gaze captive with his. Her white teeth flashed as she bit down on her bottom lip and he slowly drew his erection back through the silken valley, only to quickly thrust upward again.

Her eyelids fluttered closed and she arched her neck. "Robin…"

Hearing his name spill between her lips did amazing things to his libido as he swallowed past the thick need in his throat.

He drew his hips back, preparing her for another almost penetrating thrust, but rather than moving upwards, he propelled downward, burying himself in her to the hilt. She gasped and arched clean off the bed from the unexpected move, her hands coming to reach him even though he had asked her to keep them in place.

Guided by her hands, he leaned forward, not being able to keep his body away from hers anymore as he claimed her lips with a short kiss before pulling back to look into her eyes. They were closed and she had her lips parted as he slowly withdrew from her.

"Look at me." he softly ordered and her eyelids fluttered open as she restlessly wet her lips.

After a long pause spent staring deep into his eyes, she nodded and he plunged into her hot flesh again. This time only half way. Then he pulled out again, her soft protest and upward thrust of her hips telling of her disappointment.

Moving one of his hands from her bottom, he grasped her hip, holding her in place as he slowly entered her again, this time all the way, and he heard her groan against his lips. Pecking her mouth one last time, his lips moved to suck on one particular spot on her neck, as he continued his movements inside her body. He heard her moans getting louder as she put a hand on his back and pressed down.

"Deeper." she whispered against his ear, her sultry voice slowly driving him insane.

Who was he to deny her request? He withdrew all the way and thrust back into her with such force that it had her gasping and shutting her eyes closed. Remembering his words to look at him, her eyes shot open as she stared at him with awe mixed with a little shock. He leaned his head against hers and watched her bite her lip as he thrust in and out of her, eliciting soft sighs and whimpers from her parted lips.

His skin was coated with sweat from the effort and nearly his entire body shook from the experience. But he kept on thrusting and withdrawing, slowing when she appeared too close to climax, plunging when she least expected it. Purposely taking her breath away. And in the process losing just a little bit more of himself in her.

He tried to slow the pounding of his heart, his jaw clenching tight. She felt amazing around him and he was having trouble concentrating, as he lay on top of her, distracted by her beauty.

Picking up his pace, he wrapped one arm around her waist and pulled her even closer to him, aligning their bodies and connecting them in an even more intimate way.

She clung to him willingly, legs wrapped around his hips. At one particularly deep thrust, she couldn't help but sink her teeth into the skin on his shoulder as he groaned with her, both of them experiencing a vast wave of pleasure that made the world around them come crashing down.

He freed one hand and brought it between their bodies, his fingers coming into contact with her swollen clit as he began rubbing, eliciting even louder moans from her. She was on the verge, he could tell, so his thrusting became even more frantic and he rubbed her even harder, all the while continuing his assault on her neck.

She was whimpering now, trembling in his arms as he felt her contract around him. She no longer had control over her limbs as her legs tightened around him and her fingers scratched his back. After a couple of more breathless moans and sighs, her loud cry ripped through the night.

His mouth was on hers immediately and he drank in her screams and whimpers as her hips bucked underneath him. Her breath coming in rapid gasps, she tilted her hips forward in order to feel him deeper inside of her and he tensed. After a couple of more thrusts, he spilled inside of her with a loud groan as he tugged his lips away from her only to bite down on the soft skin on her neck.

Robin was panting and the sweat from his forehead was probably rubbing off on her creamy skin but she didn't seem to mind. Slowly, he lifted his head to gaze into her eyes and he was somehow relieved to find her in some of kind of a daze, eyes closed and skin flushed. Every so gently, he slipped out of her and she let out a soft moan, given the fact that she was probably still sensitive down there.

When he finally collapsed next to her on the bed, he exhaled and stared at the ceiling. He swallowed hard, still trying to catch his breath as he slowly turned to look at her, just to see how she was doing. Her eyes were transfixed to the ceiling and she just lay there, slightly panting as she still struggled to regain her breath.

"Whoa…" she whispered and upon hearing her say that, his lips curved into a smirk and he bit back a chuckle. It was amazing seeing her like this, when she had completely given up control and relaxed.

Turning her head towards him, she responded to his smile with her own shy smirk and he could tell she was filled with hormones that made her glow with happiness and pleasure. It only made her even more stunning as he felt himself slowly getting lost in her dark brown eyes, not knowing what he was getting himself into.


	18. Chapter 18

**Hope y'all missed me!**

**Huge thanks to Morgan for the beta!**

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A shiver went down her spine and she shut her eyes even tighter as one of her arms blindly searched the blanket to cover her trembling form. Unable to locate the damn thing, one of her eyes fluttered open as she spotted the source of the frost, and before she knew it, her legs were dragging her out of the warmth of the bed. Groaning, she grabbed the handle and closed the door before it could let in the night chill.

She took a deep breath once the room was warm again.

Sighing in relief, she dragged her feet back to the bed in a half-dreamy state. It was the middle of the night, after all. She was not going to let weather dictate her sleep, so when she got back into the bed, her lips curved into a faint smile. She was ready to go back to her much needed, precious sleep.

However, her breath got hitched in her throat when a hand appeared on her waist. She was pulled closer until her back hit his chest, and she gasped in surprise.

Suddenly, all the memories of their night together came flooding back to her. Going back to sleep after that brief recollection was completely out of the question.

Opening her eyes once more, she waited in shock as her consciousness slowly returned back to her. Her lips parted in excitement, brought on when she recalled their earlier actions.

She could tell it was still the middle of the night, and she could only guess that they had only been sleeping for a few hours. There hadn't been much talking after their time together, and she barely remembered herself drifting off to sleep with finally clarity in her mind. It was some sort of relaxation, a happiness that she refused to admit existed. The last thing she remembered was his arms around her body, a moment just like this one, and she did not know why she hadn't at least refused to sleep in the same bed with him. But having him close to her brought back fond memories of their time in that little hotel room. Who was she to refuse him when he had just buried his nose in her hair, breathing her in. A satisfied smile stretched across his face, and he uttered words that brought butterflies to the pit of her stomach.

They had just slept together, and the man still managed to make her feel like a teenager.

So when her eyes widened in shock and the silence around her provided by the dark night only suffocated her, she did nothing but lie there, motionlessly, and think everything through. The realization that came with it was too much. She struggled to deal with it, to at least handle the emotions that it brought, but she couldn't.

It burned her insides, and she did nothing but shut her eyes closed, unwilling to face the reality before her.

So when the hand on her stomach slightly moved, fingers caressing the bare skin there exposed by the nightgown now hiked up all the way to her waist, and when she heard his breathing change from behind her, she couldn't help but gasp and wait for the inevitable.

"Cold?" came the voice from behind her. It reminded her of the first time she found herself in his arms. It was a night much like this, and it had been the weather's fault then.

It seemed that the climate had it in for her.

"A bit," came her soft reply, the certainty in her voice from their previous nights now vanished. Upon hearing her answer, his fingers left her stomach, and his hand landed on her arm as he rubbed her skin back and forth, intending to warm her up even if he was still half asleep.

She appreciated the effort, she really did, but she did not need the kindness he provided for her, nor was she ready to accept it.

So her hand found his on her arm, and she slowly stopped its soothing movements, gently pushing it aside. Intending to continue her sleep without wanting to face him, her hand left his, and she closed her eyes one more time, forcing herself back to the dreamland.

Of course he wasn't letting this go.

There was a brief silence before she heard him speak from behind her in a low tone.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sleepy." Her answer was quick and short, and it did nothing but worry him even more. Suddenly he was waking up, and she could feel his attention getting focused on her. His stare bore holes to the back of her neck, and she was glad that her back was turned against him so she didn't have to face the look he was giving her.

It wasn't long before the hand she pushed away made its way back on her arm again but not to soothe or relax her. This time grabbing her arm, he forced her turn toward him, and when he was met with brown eyes wide open, he sighed in half disappointment.

"That was lie," he observed, and she quickly averted her gaze away from him, for eye contact was way too different now that they have been together.

Swallowing, she nodded slowly, and when he let go of her arm, she didn't dare turn away from him. Instead she settled on her back, eyes on the ceiling, and from the corner of her eye, she suddenly saw him start moving away. When her eyes turn toward him to watch his movements, she saw him slowly backing away. It surprised her, never once, she thought, her turning away from him would be enough for him to draw himself back from her; however, his actions proved to be different.

Lifting the covers off of his body, he was just about to leave the warmth of her bed when a hand on his chest stopped him.

She didn't know what pushed her into doing that but here she was, stopping him from leaving her room.

"Where are you going?" she managed to ask in a half whisper.

"Back to the couch." His voice was equally silent, but now, it had a bittersweet quality in it that only saddened her further.

"No, stay."

There was a brief pause filled with the sound of their beating hearts as she waited for his answer, unable to calm her breathing. She was relaxed, however, when she watched him nod quietly, and before she knew it, he was getting back into the bed and draping the covers over them.

He did not touch her.

He supported himself on one elbow, his head now resting on his hand. His stare fell upon hers, and she could tell he had no intention of going back to sleep. So ever so slowly, she let her body turn towards him, and she rested on her side, her gaze switching back and forth between his face and his bare chest.

She felt safe there but terrified at the same time. The bed acted as some sort of sphere for her, protecting her from the outside troubles, and for a moment, she couldn't help but wonder if she stayed there with him in that bed for the rest of the time, would she be away from the world's horrors that she had to face every day? Ironically, her biggest trouble lay right next to her and she let out a smile upon thinking that.

"You're smiling, my lady," he observed, and her smile grew wider when his words reached her ears.

"And you're not," she said, and her eyes were on his in a curious manner.

"Should I be?"

"Yes," she replied, and before she could stop herself, her hand was on his face, fingers tracing his lips before she spoke quietly. "It suits you."

When the ghost of her fingers tickled his lips and she gave him that smile which had almost always left him breathless, he took it as his permission to her body again, and before she knew it, his hand was on her wrist.

His fingers pressed the delicate skin there as her gaze shifted to his hand, curious to know his intentions. However, when his lips placed soft, almost tickling kisses on her finger tips, she drew in a sharp breath and gasped for air. Her eyes watched his mouth, amazed by his action though she had no idea why. He had kissed her hand before, but somehow, someway this seemed a lot more intimate.

The feather like touch of his lips kept on pressing small kisses on her fingertips, and he slowly traced his way down her finger until his lips came to stop of the forged wedding band she was wearing, a proof of their marriage. She watched with anticipation as his mouth ghosted over the ring before placing one gentle kiss on it, making her lose all coherent thought.

He ever so gently guided her hand until it rested on his chest. She could feel his heart beating under her fingertips. Without tearing his gaze away from hers, he spoke.

"I'm glad you're giving this a chance."

Upon hearing his words, loud alarming bells started ringing in her head, and she found herself parting her lips in half terror and half excitement, unable to form any words.

_She was giving this a chance._

"I'm not… not exactly…"

"I know. It's okay.

For some reason, his constant words of reassurance made her mouth stop forming her half-hesitancy towards their current relationship status as her eyes looked at anywhere but his. She knew she was supposed to look at him; she knew that these kinds of conversations should take place with eye contact. Although she knew all that and although her mind forced her to find his eyes with hers, she found herself averting her gaze from him.

She did not know if it was from embarrassment or something else, but when his hand found its place on her cheek and gently forced her to look at him, she felt the skin under his fingertips burn as she was once again faced with his icy blue eyes.

It was a moment spent with them trading silent thoughts just by looking into each other's eyes, and Regina felt goose bumps slowly rising on her skin the longer he looked her. Her lips parted. She felt a rush of breath leave her mouth, but before she was able to form the words she was so unsure to say, she felt his hand leave her face. Before she knew it, he was slowly backing away from her, and she raised both of her eyebrows to stare after him as he got up and left the bed.

It was all so sudden, really, and it left her with a pang of disappointment in her chest.

She had told him to stay, practically asked him; however here he was, leaving her as she watched his silhouette disappear into the shadows of the hallway, leaving her bedroom door half open.

After that, she was only met with dead silence.

If she concentrated hard enough, she could hear him walking downstairs, and curiosity overtook her. Somehow she knew that he wasn't going far away, and when she heard him in what she guessed to be her kitchen, she finally took a deep breath and relaxed back on her bed.

It was only moments later when he reappeared by the doorway with a bottle of white wine in his right hand and two glasses in the other.

"What…" she began the form the sentence as her lips curved into a smile.

"Thought you might be thirsty."

She watched with amusement as he sat back on the bed, but now, the mild frown on his face from their semi-serious conversation was replaced with a beautiful smile that she refused to admit she loved very much.

He poured the clear liquid into one of the wine glasses he apparently stole from Regina's kitchen, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes at it. He was a thief after all. But when he handed her the glass with a half-smile that she was sure she could stare at for hours, her thoughts dissolved into nothingness.

Trembling fingers took the glass from his light grip, and she watched him pour himself a glass before settling down next to her, careful not to touch her. Part of her knew that he was minding the wine glasses in their hands, protecting her expensive sheets from getting ruined, but part of her felt that maybe he was giving her the space she needed after a night of confusion. Granted, it was a confusion she enjoyed very much.

Staring at the glass in her hand, she was reminded of the time in Rabbit Hole when they mindlessly did shot after shot until they couldn't walk straight. But tonight was much different, and the sound of her contagious laughter was absent. Instead her lips were curved into a small smile as she took a sip and relaxed back into her pillow.

"Good wine. I guess I should thank myself for picking it." She broke the silence.

"Very good indeed," he added. "I feel feminine."

If she didn't value her sheets, she definitely would have been hitting him with a pillow, but instead she went for a scoff.

"I would have brought red, but I felt like this suited the mood much more," he said, taking another sip. She could see from the corner of her eye that his gaze was fixed on the wall before them. It somehow made her feel protected, otherwise she would have been battling to avoid eye contact.

"If you were aiming for something that suited the mood, you should have gone for something much stronger," she said quietly and added with a smirk, "Like cyanide."

"Ouch, was I that bad?" His reply was instant, and this time, he tore his eyes away from the wall, his playful gaze landing on her.

"I've had better."

It was a complete and utter lie, and the memories of her orgasm were replaying in her head to remind her of it. Yet, she liked how their mood was slowly switching from serious to flirtatious.

"I'll try to do much better next time then."

"Assuming there's going to be a next time," she snapped back, not really angry but a trace of shock was present in her voice for his boldness.

"A man's gotta improve his game," he replied with a smirk.

"It takes practice and patience," she said and brought the glass to her lips. But as she took a sip of her wine, a horrible image popped up in her mind, and she barely stopped herself from doing a spit take before adding, "With the same team of course, no other players."

In exchange of her not carefully picked words that made her cringe now she thought about it, she heard him chuckle.

"Regina, as much as I appreciate the sports references, I'm not planning on sleeping with someone else."

A relief washed over her, and she internally scolded herself. Who was she to be jealous of him when she didn't even know what he meant to her? Sure, he was more than a friend maybe but that certainly didn't mean-

"Unless you want me to." He interrupted her train of thought and she found her reflexes taking over.

"No!"

_Damn it._

His response was another chuckle that made her insides melt as he took another sip from his wine and settled a bit closer to her, their arms now touching. She realized she didn't mind the gesture at all and found herself craving more of it.

What was this? What was she doing? What were _they_ doing? She had no idea. The only thing she was able to accept was that she enjoyed the moment; here, now, with him. It felt cozy, and she felt herself snuggling back into the pillows a little further, wishing it was his arms. Now, she mentally hated herself for crawling out of his embrace in the middle of the night.

Sighing, she took another sip from her wine and watched him do the same, their glasses now almost empty. It was a comfortable silence where they just stopped and enjoyed each other's company. She wondered however, if Robin was able to hear the rapid beating of her heart as she thought about the words she was about to utter next. Her mind screamed for her not to but her lips had no bounds. It was out there before she could stop it.

"I like it when my neck is kissed."

"Hmm?" was the first sound that escaped his throat as he turned his head to get a better look at her. Was she really saying what he thought she was saying?

"Neck kisses. I love them, they're like my kryptonite," she admitted and closed her eyes before taking another sip from her wine. If she was having this conversation, she was going to need all the alcohol she could get. "And… uhm…"

"And?" he whispered, urging her to continue. It seemed like the push she needed to finish her sentence.

She leaned over to his side of the bed, mindful of his glass, and grabbed the bottle from his nightstand, and sat back down. He watched her pour herself another glass before placing the bottle back to her nightstand, taking another long sip. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in curiosity about what she was about to say.

"My breasts. Touch anywhere near them, and I'm gone." She was very carefully avoiding eye contact as she downed the rest of the glass in one gulp and reached for the bottle again. She was already feeling the slight effects of alcohol beginning to creep over. "My lips. I like making out as long as possible. It feels like… fireworks."

She was lost in her thoughts, being drowned by her subconscious. Her mind had no filter and her lips obeyed whatever her heart said. And right now it was screaming.

She was about to pour herself another glass, but she was surprised when his hands slowly found hers. He took the bottle away from her grasp along with her empty glass. His gesture made her breath hitch in her throat, and she felt like she was suddenly brought back to reality. Alcohol had been such a sweet getaway but now she didn't have anything she could hold on to.

Instead her beloved wine glass was replaced with his hands as she felt him gently lace his fingers through hers. When she looked up, she found herself in a pool of blue she was unable to look away from.

It felt hypnotizing, better than alcohol.

"Eye contact," she swallowed. "It drives me crazy." Blinking hard, she tried to focus but his gaze wasn't helping.

She saw his lips curve into a smile, and she instantly felt herself get angry. Here she was, being utterly and completely affected by the here and now, trying to breathe from the tension in the air. He was sitting in front of her, holding her hand and smiling? Was it because of the rapidly consumed alcohol or was this situation really that hilarious? She didn't want to think about the second possibility.

"If you'd allow me, my lady," he started, looking down momentarily at their clasped hands before looking back up to her widened eyes again, "I'd like to find out the rest myself."

His words stunned her, and he smirked at how her lips parted in shock and her eyebrows rose in bewilderment. For a while she struggled to find the right words but her mind refused to form any coherent thought. Did he really just say that?

Her tongue came out to wet her lips as she tried to say something, anything but sit there and look dumbfounded. So the next words that came out of her mouth shocked her and made her want to cringe at the same time.

"I.. uhm…we're not.. this is not a relationship." She didn't know if she was clarifying that for him or for herself.

"I never said it was." His tone was the same, like he wasn't affected by her words at all. Instead he raised his eyebrows and gave her a smug look. "It's a marriage."

This time, her hands not occupied by a fragile wine glass, she unclasped their hands and quickly reached for a pillow before smacking him on the head with it.

"I'm kidding," he managed to blurt out, his arms coming in front of his face to protect himself from her vicious attacks as he let out a chuckle.

"Regina," he started after making sure that she had finally put the pillow down and leaned back to it before crossing her arms. The moonlight illuminating the room was making her features look more striking than ever as he watched her chest rise slowly with each breath she took. She was truly a sight to see. "I'm not expecting anything from you."

When she raised her eyebrows in question, he felt the need to keep going.

"When you agreed to this, you were doing me a favor. There weren't any promises made, and quite frankly, I was a bit shocked when we decided to go through with all this. Now… this whatever it is that's going on between us… I just want you to know that you neither owe me nor yourself any explanation." He leaned back to the headboard right next to her and turned his head before adding.

"You don't have to make me any promises either. I would be a lot more comfortable with this if I knew you kicked back and enjoyed your time just as I am. I don't expect anything from you. If this happens again, I would love it. If it doesn't, I guarantee you that it won't affect our friendship."

The only thing that welcomed him after his long speech was complete and utter silence. Her arms were still crossed in front of her, and she kept on looking at the wall before them, her lips sealed shut. In that moment, he knew he would have given everything he had to know what was going through her head. However, his only solution was to wait, and when she sucked in a deep breath, his attention was immediately on hers with eyebrows raised in question.

"If you're going to sleep here, don't open the windows again. It makes me wake up in the middle of the night, freezing."

He didn't know he was holding his breath until he let it out upon hearing her words. Relief washed over him at her semi-serious answer over the state of their relationship, and it took everything he had in him not to lunge at her and take her in his arms.

"And no, I won't bring the thermostat down. We're in winter, for God's sake. I don't care what kind of hell you used to live in back in Enchanted Forrest."

"Why are women so vulnerable against cold," he muttered more to himself, but of course it did not go unnoticed by Regina.

"Excuse me?" They were back to their playful selves, and Regina realized this was a lot easier to handle than serious talks about their relationship. "I'm not vulnerable, I just don't like it."

"Oh really? Tell that to the woman who crawled into my arms dead of the night the minute it got a bit chilly."

"Chilly? Robin, the room was colder than the North Pole!" She uncrossed her arms and angled her body towards him just to give him her icy stare.

"Says who," he countered.

"Your wife!"

"Well then, tell my wife to not come crying to her _husband _when it she starts freezing again!" He replied, emphasizing on the word 'husband'.

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

With that they both turned away from each other and lay back down on the bed, as far away from each other as possible. This time before closing her eyes, it wasn't butterflies Regina felt, no. She felt annoyance mixed with slight rage, but most of all she realized she was comfortable in his presence.

And when a couple of hours later, she started shivering again and curled up into a ball to preserve some body heat, Robin was right behind her in an instant, gathering her in his arms without a question. They both stayed silent, and she pressed herself up against him before drifting off to cozy, rather warm sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

***chuckles nervously* Hello..**

**I do realize that it has been quite a while and I ask you, lovely people who are still reading this, to not be angry at me considering I am aware of the fact that it was highly disrespectful of me to make you wait. Please refrain from your negative comments and criticism considering I do realize my mistake and I, from the bottom of my heart, apologize for it. I don't expect anyone to continue reading&amp;reviewing this story after such a long time but I would, if you allow me, like to finish it.**

**Thank you Zoe for the beta.  
Also thank you Kardelen for writing up a tweet about this story that reached over a 100 retweets. I have promised that I would continue that day and here I am keeping that promise.**

**I'm back. Enjoy xx**

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It had been a while.

Days had turned into weeks, weeks had turned into months, and it had been almost an entire year spent with constant waiting. The more it dragged out, the stronger the frustration grew. And when the time finally came, it felt like coming home.

Will Scarlet, after 9 months, was finally eating a damn hamburger.

See, hamburgers didn't exist in Enchanted Forest, and frankly, he didn't know why the townsfolk even complained about being trapped in this heaven called Storybrooke. Did they really think living in a magical forest, bathing in lakes and being ruled by a ruthless queen (he quickly raised his head to check if the woman in question was around, she wasn't) was better than technology, cars and more importantly fast food?

At least that's what crossed his mind as he waited impatiently for the food he had honestly paid for in a secluded booth. His fingers tapped fervently on the table as his gaze danced around the room. This early in the morning, the damn diner –which was beginning to feel like a conference room these days- was empty of all the chaos that had been going around recently in town. There was no sign of Emma, her offspring, Mary Margaret, that handsome Prince lad. The Merry Men; his little gang who preferred to be loud wherever they went, were still back in forest. There was no Robin _I-am-a-man-of-honor_ of Locksley lurking around the shadows, ready to lecture him about the importance of their code or tell him stories he had already heard three dozen and one times before. No, Will Scarlet was finally by himself, surrounded by the inviting aroma of food, waiting for his burger to arrive.

When he spotted two long legs from the corner of his eye and saw Ruby approaching him with confident steps, a toothy grin formed on his lips. He was salivating already and when the Granny's Special Double Cheese and Hamburger Combo was placed in front of him by a gorgeous red head, he really felt as if he was in heaven. Even the smell of meat was strong enough to drive him crazy. His eyes widened as he watched the melted cheddar drip heavenly from the side as his fingers finally touched the smooth surface of the hot and inviting bread.

"Hello, gorgeous…" he spoke, licking his lips in anticipation.

Much to his surprise, the burger responded back.

"Hello, handsome."

He raised his head in confusion to meet two icy blue eyes staring back to him from the opposite of his secluded booth. Upon realizing that he and his burger were not alone, he jumped in shock.

"Bloody hell!"

"Been there, done that." Cruella responded, leaning back into her seat as she crossed her arms in front of him. Her stare switched back and forth between the man and his burger.

"What are you doin' here?" Will huffed in disappointment once he was calm. It wasn't everyday a woman got between him and his much awaited food. His eyes went back to his precious lunch. Scary dog lady or not, he was destined to eat this.

"Haven't you heard? My husband got arrested and I felt like taking a vacation." She spoke in a cold manner.

"I would go to Hawaii if I were you." He reached for some ketchup. The woman in front of him no longer held his gaze.

"Yes, but you're not me," Cruella replied defensively and second later added under her breath. "Thankfully…"

Her eyes went to the plate of cholesterol in front of the poor guy and she shivered in disgust. Sitting there and being his lunch date for the day was the last thing that had been crossing her mind until she pondered all her options. There was a secret that this town was willing to keep for the sake of their precious Queen and if she was going to unravel it, she needed him… Will Scarlet, the man who was currently busy writing his initials with barbecue sauce on the still hot meat.

"So, it has been a while…" she said, looking around the diner. Indeed, it had been ages since she saw people from the world she used to live in. Long Island had done a number on her… and her jewelry too of course. Her hand went to fidget with her diamond necklace.

"It sure has," Will replied, not really paying attention to anything but his food. How long had it been since he last ate a hamburger? Too long.

"And _this_…" She couldn't find it in herself to spit out the word 'marriage', so she secretly hoped he knew what she was talking about. Besides, weren't Regina and Robin the only talk of town these days? "It was rather unexpected, don't you think?"

"This?" Will spread out the spicy sauce evenly on the meat with his knife. It smelt like a million bucks. "No, I paid for this."

"You did?" Cruella raised one eyebrow. Since when could Will Scarlet afford paying for a whole wedding? "How noble of you, it must have cost you a fortune!"

"It did cost me a pretty penny." And to think he didn't even steal it…

"Did you also pay for the dress?" Cruella wondered for a brief moment if Regina wore a white gown. Then she remembered how she was probably being lied to and shook her head in disbelief. Why was it that the queen refused to share her forest boy?

"Nah, the dressing is free."

The woman frowned before lifting her gaze to meet his eyes.

"I'm talking about the wedding, darling," she explained with articulated words.

"What weddin'?" He placed the bread back on the burger before finally lifting it with both hands and bringing it to his mouth. Was this what heaven felt like? Then he took a large bite and moaned in pleasure.

"I'm sure it would have been the talk of town." She imagined even a forged wedding between them would be the main gossip. "It's rather hot though, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is." Will nodded, licking his lips before bringing the burger to his lips for another bite. "Must be the sauce."

"Dear lord, I am talking about _them_."

"No, I only have the one burger."

Cruella rolled her eyes and groaned in frustration. If Robby dear employed men of this person's wits then she wasn't surprised he still slept in the forest. His little gig was doomed to fail. No wonder they stole from the rich…

She decided to try another approach. "I didn't understand how it all happened. Rather strange if you ask me…"

Will Scarlet had no idea why the woman was still there, but given his attention span only lasted for 8 seconds when there was a ready-and-waiting hamburger in front of him, he chose to ignore her presence. He decided to try another approach; agree with everything she said until she got the message and hopefully left.

"Yes, it is." He nodded, reaching for his drink. The burger left a wonderful taste in his mouth and he wasn't even halfway done with it.

"It just all happened so suddenly…"

"It sure did..."

"Robin and Regina got married.."

"Yes, Robin and Regina got… They did what?" The burger dropped onto the plate with a thud.

"They got married, darling. As in holy matrimony, let's do each other's laundry and file for joint taxes, in sickness and health, that sort of thing." She leaned back in her seat and watched his reaction with an amused smile.

"What!? When?"

"You don't know?" She gave him a wicked grin. She was finally getting to the bottom of this.

"I know everything that goes around in this town, love, and trust me; Robin and Regina are completely and absolutely not-"

"Any of your business." Robin's voice made them both jump in their seats.

"Bloody hell!" Will yelled for the second time that morning, causing everyone else in the diner to turn to stare at the group.

"Did we scare you?" Regina's voice came from right next to Robin and upon seeing her, Will brought a hand to his forehead.

"Oh, bloody…"

"Yes, we get it." Cruella interrupted in irritation. "Me and Will darling here, we were just talking about your marriage… or should I say the _rumor_ of it since no one has heard?"

Robin's reaction was a mere frown as he turned to gauge Regina's reaction. She was way too busy giving Cruella a death glare to even realize her accusation. With the shake of his head, Robin lowered himself to the seat right next to Will, forcing him to slide over.

"Will has heard it alright, he just doesn't remember." He spoke and watched as Regina mirrored his actions and seated herself right next to Cruella, both women making sure there was a healthy distance between them.

"I'm pretty sure if there was a big white weddin', I'd've…" the younger man replied but was quickly interrupted.

"You couldn't have forgotten, mate!" Robin said in fake enthusiasm and grabbed his arm, making sure to hold a firm grip. Exchanging a brief amused smile with Regina, he turned to Will. "You were the best man!"

"I was?"

"Yes, the whole event was just breath taking." Regina chimed in.

Their eyes met and Robin silently hoped that the other two would buy the story him and Regina had so deviously planned just that morning over breakfast.

"Nah…" Will's face was full of confusion and he switched his frown from Robin to Regina and back to Robin again, silently demanding some answers. Too bad he was not getting any.

"Yeah…" the older man nodded along, gripping his arm even tighter.

"Oh don't be so flabbergasted, darling!" Cruella spoke after a beat with an amused smile. She leaned forward and rested one hand on the table while the other pointed at the couple. "If Robs dear had married the infamous _Queen_ of the town who cursed everyone to live in a republican suburb, I would want to forget about it too!"

"Just like your husband forgot about you in the back of a Chevy and ran off to the nearest Swiss bank." Regina leaned back into her seat and crossed her arms in front of her.

"It was a Corvette!"

"Ladies," Robin interrupted both women and they snapped out of their little cat fight to turn to look at him. Cruella kept her dreamy gaze and winked at him the minute they made eye contact. He felt a shiver run down his spine. "I know you two old friends have a lot of catching up to do, but I believe Will here has an important event to remember."

"Mate, if I was in any way drunk or high during the time of this _weddin'_, you gotta tell me."

"Well, some nights cannot be handled sober…" Cruella eyed the younger man then turned her gaze to Robin. "Living with Regina, you would know, darling."

"Excuse me?!" Regina's eyes widened in shock.

"Alright, alright!" Robin spoke up once more; ending a heated argument before it even had a chance to start. "Thank you for your input, however I must say, sharing a bedroom with my wife here has been making me want to stay sober every night to remember every detail, and be drunk every other evening to get lost in her beauty."

"Mate, that was deep…" Will commented quietly.

When Cruella rolled her eyes and turned away in disgust as Will sat there, eyes fixed on the table with amazement, Robin's gaze met Regina's and he silently mouthed the following word to her; 'Behave'.

They had been over this a million times. Selling their story was the number one priority since now the whole town was involved (except for Will who seemed to be oblivious to everything). And if they wanted to achieve their goal, it required working as a team and more importantly it required Regina not to set Cruella's hair on fire.

"Hold on!" Will suddenly spoke up. Why did Robin feel like he was about to say something really dumb? "You weren't even in Storybrooke a year ago, how did you kids ge' married?!"

Regina raised her eyebrows in objection as if she possessed the power to stop Will from talking with just one look. However, she then went for a guaranteed approach and kicked him under the table.

"Ouch, bloody hell!"

God, Will had chosen to be smart at the most inopportune moment… As a reflex, he kicked back -though his foot landed on the wrong target.

"Ow, for Heaven's sake!" Cruella exclaimed in her strong British accent, her hand instantly reaching for her ankle. "If you wanted to play footsie darling, you could have just asked."

Robin placed both elbows on the table and hid his face between his hands. This was a disaster.

"And he's got a point," Cruella continued with a pained expression.

"We met in the Enchanted Forest," Regina replied but her voice came out tired. It seemed she was just trying to cover up the missing holes in their story. "Got married there."

"And the rings?"

Robin held out his hand to reveal a golden band that they had put on just the previous night as a precaution. It brought back fond memories and his gaze instantly switched to Regina. She looked as tired as she sounded.

"The wedding album?"

"No cameras in the Enchanted Forest." She replied automatically.

"I see."

"Do you, finally?!" Regina asked exasperated and Robin barely managed to keep himself from chuckling at her desire to make Cruella believe this sham.

"Yes darling, no need to be so rude about it." She grumbled before elbowing Regina to give herself some space as she hastily stood up. Regina scowled, rubbed her arm before following suit. "Well, I do wish you the best."

"No, you don't." The brunette replied as she made room for her to leave.

"You're right, I don't. I strongly dislike the situation." She spoke in a tone that suggested she was in no way affected by it all. Though the fact that she refused to meet any of their gazes screamed otherwise. "I will be seeing you soon."

"We appreciate your honesty." Robin spoke after her as the group watched her leave. She made a grand exit, with heels clacking on the marble floor, causing everyone to pause their meals to turn and look at her.

"We don't appreciate anything about her, she is the reason we're in this mess." Regina spoke once the woman was gone.

She sat back down and watched with a cold stare as Robin stood up and claimed the seat right next to hers so they were now both facing Will. Regina felt warmth spreading inside of her once he was sitting beside her. How he had a way of getting her excited all over again, she had no idea.

"Wow…" he spoke after a beat. "Congratulations on the marriage, really, I didn't think you'd ever do it but it seems you have fooled-"

"Jesus, there is no marriage!" Regina interrupted him.

"Come again?"

"It's a fake marriage, to keep Cruella away." Robin replied, leaning back into his seat. It was unbelievable how dense his fellow Merry Men sometimes were. "She wouldn't leave me alone."

"So…the whole thing is just… a lie?"

The couple both nodded.

"There is no relationship?" Will asked again, just to clarify.

"No."

"Yes."

They responded at the same time, with Regina being the one to give the negative answer. Robin instantly bit his lip and wished he could take it back. So he did.

"No," he said, which, this time, collided with Regina's positive answer.

"Yes."

They both turned to look at each other and frowned. The conversation was left open-ended the other night and now Robin had no idea where they stood. It seemed Regina had similar views on the matter.

"Well, we're working on it…" Robin finally answered on behalf of both of them.

"On what? The relationship or the answer?"

"Both." Regina nodded.

Silence filled their small table; silence filled with Regina being transfixed on her bracelet, Robin staring up at the ceiling and Will switching his gaze back and forth between them. It was as though sparks were flying every time either of them opened their mouth to speak. It only reminded them of last night -which filled Robin's chest with longing and Regina's with anticipation. Not being able to take it any longer, she spoke.

"Robin and I…"

"Robin!"

Her little speech -which she had no idea where it was going- was interrupted when a gruff voice called out to the man right next to her. When they turned their heads, they were met with none other than Little John who was making his way towards them with a worried expression on his face.

Regina didn't know what pushed her into it, but she instinctively placed her hand on Robin's.

"You got a minute?" The man spoke once he came to stand in front of the table.

Regina was not familiar with Little John. She knew who he was, and she had talked to him once or twice but she didn't need to be a good friend of his to realize he had not come for congratulations. His features were tense –and yet he was not alarmed. Nothing _too_ serious then.

"What is it?" Robin spoke and Regina felt him link his fingers through hers.

"There's nothing to fear, but it's Roland. He has been asking for you." He spoke in a low tone in order not to cause panic.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Regina jumped into the conversation, her heart beating fast in her chest. Suddenly a thousand possibilities came to her mind and she instinctively leaned forward towards the man, as if she was about to milk him for information.

"No, no, everything's fine." John raised his hand. "Robin's little lad has caught a little bug, I'm afraid. He has been coughing all morning."

"What kind of bug? Is it the flu?" She asked.

"Could be, I'm not quite sure."

Then Regina felt Robin's fingers tighten around her hand and she lowered her gaze to meet his warm blue eyes.

"It's okay, I'll go check up on him."

"I'll come with you."

"No, no, I wouldn't want you to go through the trouble. Chances are it's nothing, he always manages to catch a cold this time of the year." Robin replied though deep down, he couldn't help but be worried. What he said was true, Roland was a strong boy, whenever he came down with something like this, all he needed was some hot soup, warm bed and good company and he'd be up and about in no time. But he was a parent, and there would be something amiss if the thought of his child being ill didn't concern him.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, I'll let you know." With that he gave her hand one last squeeze before getting up.

"You better, thief!" she called after him and was glad to see him nod.

#

She went home alone that evening, and realized how quiet her house actually was.

Had it been always this quiet or was it just something that staying with him had brought to her attention? Ever since she spent a week in that hotel room with him, it was as though her life pulled the man endlessly towards her until they were crashed in a bed together. Or maybe it was she who was pulling him to her, and it was he who came willingly. She did not know; all she felt was the quietness of her hallways and the emptiness through the rooms.

She wasn't at all mad at him but she was annoyed mostly at herself for allowing herself to open up this easily. Then she worked out that she had known the man roughly a year, and about seven or eight months of that had been spent hating him. She hated him for standing up to her, hated him for popping out of nowhere when she didn't want him around and hated him for his smile which somehow always managed to make her weak in the knees.

Her hands kept busy. First she cleaned the kitchen and smiled inadvertently as she picked up Robin's forgotten plate from their breakfast together. Then she made the bed, watched some TV, cooked, and it was around bedtime when she was emerging from the bathroom wrapped in a towel -then the phone rang.

She saw the caller ID, gasped and yanked the second towel she had used for her hair off her head to properly answer the phone.

"Finally learning how to use technology?"

"It's my favorite thing about this place -right next to water coming out magically from the pipes." Robin spoke from the other end of line. He then looked around to see if any of his men were listening in on the conversation. He was getting teased enough about him and Regina already.

"It's called city infrastructure and you can thank me for it." She sat down on the edge of the bed, one hand holding the towel close to her still damp body. "How's Roland?"

"He has been better." Robin sighed. "But there isn't much to worry about. He has got a runny nose and he is not jumping up and down like he used to."

"Is it the flu?"

"Yeah, and he has missed me a little that's all."

"Oh, I'm sorry." she replied, taken aback a little. "I am the reason you've been away from him and-"

"He has been asking about you too." He tried to cut her off before she had a chance to apologize once more. Despite his son's illness, Robin had a slight smile plastered on his face.

Regina still continued her apology until she registered what Robin had actually said. "And I didn't even stop to think… Wait, what?"

"I got here and the first thing he said after hugging me was why didn't I bring you?" He chuckled with the recollection. Even whilst sick, his son still managed to be adorable.

"He did…?" She parted her lips in surprise and affection, and in that instant she wished to be nowhere but right next to that boy. "How is he now?"

"He is resting." Robin replied. "He barely managed to finish his dinner."

"Does he have a fever? What's his body temperature?"

"His body what?" Robin frowned.

"His body temp… Oh my God, don't you merry people own a thermometer?" Regina stood up in fury and started walking around the room clad only in a wet towel.

"What is that? Is it edible?"

"Oh my God, Robin!" She brought a hand to her face but then the towel threatened to fall off and she instantly grabbed it back again. "I'm guessing this also means he is not on any medication."

"Friar Truck boiled some basil and we put it around his throat to ease the swelling."

"He's got a sore throat?!" Her voice came out higher than she expected. "And you're trying to cure it with flowers?!"

"We don't use the flower part of course; I've had Will comb out the leaves." Robin explained as if it was going to help his case.

"Save it." Regina was already rummaging through her drawers. "Where is this camp of yours? I am coming over."

"No, Regina, you don't have to." He replied, but couldn't help his heart skipping a beat in his chest at the thought of having her at his camp. "I wouldn't want you to go through the trouble."

"I said where's the camp?" She frantically opened up her wardrobe to fish out her clothes, sending a few bras onto the ground in the process.

"I don't want you to come all the way over here for me."

"Not for you, genius. For Roland."

"Oh, right…"

"If I have to ask you one more time…" Regina threatened, and Robin had the common sense to just give her what she wanted.

Albeit slightly reluctantly, he gave her directions, half concerned that she might end up getting lost in the woods. But after she reassured him that this was her town and she knew it better than a few forest men, they hung up the phone and Robin was forced to get back to his camp.

When he did however -with the anticipation of knowing he was only a few minutes of seeing her again- he was faced with a sight that he didn't think would bother him before.

His camp was a mess. Apart from the tents scattered around just a few feet away from the fire that was burning low in the middle of their compound, there were various belongings spread around. For starters, there was laundry everywhere, some were still wet from the lake water, and set out to dry, and some were just forgotten on the forest ground. There were pants on the logs around the fireplace and there were white underpants hanging proudly on one guy's tent. Dirty cups and cutlery were left abandoned and a few of Roland's toys sat untidily in front of his tent. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and tried to digest it all. Then he opened his eyes which were now filled with fury.

"WILL!"

With that he went up to the fireplace and started picking up some clothes. When the man in question left his tent in a sleep filled haze, scratching his bottom with a yawn, he spoke.

"Yeah mate?"

Then a pair of wet pants hit him square in the face.

"Pick up your stuff!" Robin yelled, his hands already reaching for other items around the fire. "Regina is coming."

"Oh bloody hell…"


	20. Chapter 20

**Hello, hope everyone is doing well!**

**Quick note, I am hammered so I know neither if I'm uploading the right chapter or not nor if there are any mistakes in it. Zoe, the lovable treasure of a person, did beta this but I might have missed a thing or two while going over it. So please forgive me if you spot any mistakes.**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

All mothers, at some point in their lives, told their daughters how dangerous it was to wander around in the forest all by themselves. Cora hadn't been any different. As a matter of fact, she was stricter in her rules compared to other parents.

Yes, Regina grew up hearing these rules, listening to her mother go on and on about how absolutely treacherous it was for a young girl to be leaving her chambers all by herself. She had grown accustomed to it, and getting on her mother's nerves had been the last thing she wanted.

So when she stepped on a branch and her heel got stuck in the mud, her mother's words echoed in her mind. _Don't wander around the forest all by yourself, Regina!_ Yeah right, welcome to reality…

She did a double check to see if she had spilled any of the chicken soup held between her trembling hands. Her fingers clutched tightly to the sealed bowl and she managed to set her expensive shoes free from the mud with a low curse uttered under her breath. She had indeed told Robin that this was _her_ forest, however, knowing how things worked did not make the process go any easier. She desperately wished she had dressed appropriately for the environmental conditions.

His camp wasn't far. After hearing the news Roland was ill, it hadn't taken long for her to make the soup; knowing with the conditions he had, by the time Robin would finish heating up a chicken, Roland would already be heading into pneumonia. Regina loved the little boy, that's why she refused to leave him in Robin's hands. His unconditional love did not cure flu, and neither did those plants; there was a reason life expectancy in Storybrooke was almost double that in the Enchanted Forest.

After a minute or two, the camp came into sight. She could hear the bon-fire and a few of the Merry Men laughing and talking around it -they did tend to be quite loud after all. Though, she was grateful for the noise they provided her with, considering the forest was pitch black and the weather was starting to get cold anyway. Holding the bowl in one hand, she tightened her coat around her shoulders and made her way to the semi-civilization.

#

Robin parted the flaps and walked out of the tent that housed his sick son. Friar Truck was still in there, desperately increasing the amount of leaves that he so delicately heated and wrapped around Roland's throat. The little boy complained from time to time and screamed as best as he could with a sore throat whenever Robin told him he'd be right back. It broke his heart to leave his son's tent but then he found himself thinking… _I will literally return in 5 minutes.._

"Oi!" Will Scarlet's voiced echoed throughout the busy camp. "Mate!"

"I'm here."

"It's, uhm…" Will made his way to him with a scared expression on his face. "Ya know,"

"Hm?"

"It's the Evil- I mean your wife- no wait, I mean her majes, no _your_ majesty-"

"Regina?" Robin instantly raised his eyebrows as his gaze left Will to patrol around the area.

"Yes, her!" Will exclaimed as if it was some kind of an achievement. "She's comin'."

"Where is she?" his hands went to his coat and he straightened his clothes up a bit. Upon seeing his attempts to fix his already disheveled appearance, Will just chuckled.

"Right outside."

"Well?"

"Well wha'?"

There was a semi awkward silence before Robin asked cautiously. "How do I look?"

Will was taken aback with the question. He did everything in his power not to snort and embarrass the man before him any further. "Dashing." He managed to say, biting his lip.

However Robin was too busy fixing his jacket to notice the sarcasm. "Why don't you go help her?"

"Me, haha no way in bloody hell!" he threw him a look as if Robin had gone mad. "She's your girlfriend, your responsibility."

Robin's hands curled into fists in his pockets and he sighed. The weather was getting cold and a rather strong wind shook their camp. "She's not my-"

"I suggest you hurry up; she did not look pleased."

Will scattered away before Robin had a chance to call him back. Anticipation started building up in his chest and he, once again, straightened his coat before walking over to the direction Will was pointing at.

He spotted her right outside the camp.

"Can I just say…" he spoke up once he inched closer. "…how absolutely thankful I am?"

He watched as Regina gasped and looked up to meet his gaze. "I couldn't let a young boy die."

"He's not dying," Robin scoffed as he made her way to her. It was difficult to see around but she was wearing a light grey dress that made it easier for him to see her. "He's just…a big fan of attention."

"I'll be the judge of that."

Once they met, Robin opened up his arms in the hopes of a hug but instead a bowl of chicken soup and a duffel bag hit him in the chest.

"Hold these," Regina said and once he had wrapped his hands around the hot bowl, she walked past him. "Where is he?"

"Woah, you didn't come here for me indeed." He replied mockingly, before following her.

He couldn't help but admire her as they walked; she had a way of looking truly beautiful no matter how late in the night it was.

"He's in that tent over there."

They entered the camp and he saw that his Merry Men went quiet at the mere sight of her. Regina, on the other hand, was used to the cold treatment, and so without glancing in any other direction, she made her way to the tent Robin pointed at.

It was humorous; the second Regina walked into the tent, Friar Truck walked out.

Robin chuckled and followed her into the tent.

Upon closing the flap behind him, he turned to see Regina immediately kneeling beside the boy. It really was a marvelous sight. However, what surprised him the most was, when Regina whispered, Roland's eyes shot open and he instantly sat up before throwing herself at her.

"Gina!"

She caught the boy and let him hug her. Roland's arms were tight around her neck and Robin forgot to close his mouth. After a minute, Regina put the boy down.

"A little bird tells me you're sick."

"I'm not!" Roland insisted, then he coughed.

Regina let out a laugh. She then realized how much Roland reminded her of Henry when he was young. He used to pretend he was all grown up and refused to admit he had gotten sick. Back in the day, Regina would spend hours trying to convince the boy how strong he was and the cough syrup was only going to make him even more powerful.

She was pulled out of her memories when Roland coughed again. And only then, she noticed Robin's presence in the small tent as he stood right behind her.

She looked up at him. His hands were still occupied with the bowl of soup she had forcefully handed to him, and her duffel bag that she had prepared quickly before leaving the house, hung over his shoulder. And his gaze was locked on the two.

"Robin," she called to him, extending a hand to ask for the bag.

"Hmm?" He didn't quite acknowledge her ; too busy musing on how she was actually in his tent, taking care of his son before him.

"Robin!"

"What?" He was finally snapped out of his day dream.

"Give me the bag," she demanded, though she didn't wait for him to comply and reached out to pull the duffel bag out of his grasp anyway.

"Alright, let's get you to bed." Regina then turned to Roland. However, the little boy had no intention of obeying her. Instead, he jumped on Regina once more, before wrapping his tiny arms tightly around her.

"But, I don't wanna!" he yelled and Robin was surprised to see his voice was no longer hoarse… It looked as if Roland was only acting to get Regina to visit their tent. Well, like father like son…

She laughed but Robin frowned. "Come on, boy. We need to listen to Her Majesty."

"Oh, you don't have to-"

"Let him grasp a sense of authority," Robin winked at her. "You are the Queen after all."

"Qween?" Roland asked incredulously. "Dad, do Qweens have Kings?"

"They do."

Regina immediately shot Robin a deadly look and he quickly regretted his answer. They both knew what the boy's next question would be.

"Then who's your King, Gina?"

There it was. Now, who was going to explain to Roland how a monarchy worked?

There was silence between the two adults as both of them threw each other meaningful looks, trying to convey how they wanted the other one to answer the question. Roland's curious eyes went back and forth between them. Robin swallowed and found that the chicken soup in his hands was far more interesting than he had given it credit for.

"Well, dear… Queens don't necessarily need Kings." Regina uttered in a soft voice, quietly wondering how this conversation went from little birds and cough syrups, to bylaws of sovereignty.

"They don't?!" The little boy's eyes grew wide.

"No, well… Sometimes they do."

"Do you have a King, Gina? Is he strong?" His voice grew louder. He was truly excited for an idea of this strong man with a sword and all that fanciful fairytale folly.

"I did, but not anymore." Regina answered honestly, though she refused to think of Leopold. All that mattered now was this lovely, innocent little boy in front of her.

"Then, Papa can be your King! Right, Papa?" Roland suddenly yelled in excitement. "He is strong too!"

"Alright!" Robin cut him off before he could make either of them blush any further. "Let's get you to bed!"

And despite the young boy's protests, Robin kneeled and set the bowl down next to the pair before pulling him away from Regina, setting him down on his make shift bed as she was already pulling the covers over his body.

"The boy is sick, I don't understand why he's here in this cold tent instead of my house." She reached over to her bag.

"He's just a little tired, that's all. We wouldn't want you to go through the trouble." He stroked Roland's hair who was listening the conversation with wide eyes.

"He's coughing, Robin." She corrected him. Why did he always have to take the matters so lightly?

"Not right now."

Roland coughed again. Robin immediately regretted his words and turned around to see Regina giving him a deadly look.

"Move."

"Yes, ma'am."

Robin watched as Regina moved closer to Roland as she shuffled through her bag. The little boy's eyes curiously watched her as she fished out a foreign object before holding it in front of her face in triumph.

"Open up," she gestured to the young boy's mouth and much to Robin's surprise, he complied. Since when did Roland do what he was asked?

"What's that?" he asked from right beside her, a little scared of asking Regina what was she doing but uncomfortable with the fact that she was sticking a metal object into his son's mouth.

"It's a thermometer, to see if he has a fever." She replied, and as they waited, her hand went up to Roland's forehead.

His skin was not warm. She then checked to see if he had a runny nose. That was also negative. A few moments later, the thermometer beeped and Roland laughed in glee.

"Good news, no fever." She announced. "No runny nose, he's not lethargic… so just a small cough, huh?"

Robin watched in awe as she held his son's nose and squeezed it. Roland squirmed in glee. It was as if his cold tent was warmed up with their affection towards each other. He just found it funny how when it came to him, Roland pretended to be a big boy who didn't need anyone's help. But when he was with Regina, he practically became a devoted son who was willing to do anything to make her happy. It seemed as though his son had a little infatuation with the Queen.

Well, he wasn't the only one…

"Look what I've cooked for you!" Regina smiled at him before opening the bowl and taking a spoon out of her bag.

"After this, I'll give him a cough syrup." She informed Robin as she spoon fed the young boy. "And we'll leave him to rest. He'll be fine by morning."

Robin nodded and watched her take care of his son, unable to get rid of the smile plastered on his face.

A few moments later, they emerged from the tent. It was close to midnight, and way after Roland's bedtime, so, naturally, after the soup, Robin's son fell into a blissful sleep.

_I would too,_ Robin thought, _if I had Regina to take care of me like that._

"I bet you a satchel of gold that he pretended to be sick just so you would come all the way over here." He spoke once he stood in front of her. Moonlight danced around her eyes and took his breath away.

"Keep your satchel. I'm here because he was sick. Pretend or not doesn't concern me." She smiled, eyeing the tent.

"So you're saying next time, if I pretend to be sick, you'll come?"

Her only answer was to scoff before rolling her eyes. He saw a small blush creep up her cheeks but refused to voice it. "Jokes aside," he continued, grabbing her attention once more. "Thank you so much for coming. It means a lot to me."

"Of course," she nodded.

"I know it probably only took you a few minutes to make that soup, but seeing Roland with a mother figure after such a long time, you have no idea how important that is."

"I do." She replied and her hand went up to his arm. His coat felt cold and rough between her fingers. "Henry grew up without a father figure. I know what that does to a kid."

"Well then," his gaze went to her hand on his arm. "Let me pay you back."

"Oh, you don't have-"

"Don't leave." He didn't know what pushed him into making that offer. "Stay. Let us treat you well for a night."

"No, Robin, really." She smiled. "Thank you but, I don't think-"

"Regina, please. Stay."

"Stay?!" Harry suddenly spoke up. Both of them looked up to see the younger Merry Man eavesdropping on their conversation. He had a few blocks of wood on his shoulders, obviously bringing them into the camp to provide them with some heat for the rest of night. "Oi! Lads! The Queen will be stayin' throu' the night!"

Lo and behold, the word travelled around the camp and in a matter of seconds, all the Merry Men's heads were turning in their direction.

"Her Majesty is stayin'!" Friar Truck echoed Harry's words.

"Bloody hell!" Will exclaimed, quickly running over to the bonfire to see if anyone was cooking.

"Get the wood, I'll set up a tent!" Harry ran hurriedly towards his friend.

Regina watched the event unfold before her with wide eyes and parted lips. When she turned to Robin, his face illuminated by the fire burning just a few feet away, he smiled at her. "I don't think you have a choice now."

"I don't think I do…" she agreed, already beginning to feel herself warming up to the environment around her.

#

A few moments later, when she was sitting on a log before the campfire with Robin seated right beside her, more practical questions began to roam over her mind. Questions such as; what she was going to sleep in, and where she was going to stay.

When Harry placed an unknown stew on her lap with a proud grin, and Little John handed her a cup of ale, she realized how completely out of her comfort zone she really was. She looked up. Robin's men were slowly taking their place around the campfire with their bowl of stew in hand. The fire burned bright as ever.

"You're not eating?" She looked at Robin.

"Already have."

"Oh…" She hummed and turned back at her food before testing it with her spoon. It moved and a shiver ran down her spine.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to."

"Oh thank God…" she said in relief before putting the cup on the ground next to the log.

"If I remember correctly, this is your first time camping."

She looked up at Robin. She noticed how his thigh was just inches away from hers, and when her gaze traveled above, she realized the fire made his eyes seem more grey than blue. Butterflies filled her stomach, and she couldn't help but think about how he had kissed her the night before.

"Indeed, it is," She replied after she remembered to speak. Men around her chatted quietly, their conversations blurring slowly into the night. No one was paying her any more attention more than they were supposed to.

"What do you think of the camp?" Robin asked. His voice was soft and his accent sounded delicious.

"Besides the interactive food?" she mocked and he rolled his eyes. "I like it; it's cozy... and quiet."

"Unlike the rest of your town," he scoffed and when she gave him a mean look, he corrected himself. "I'm not saying it's bad… it's just that, the drama never ends over there.

"Hm-mh…" she nodded, licking her lips.

"I mean, don't get me wrong, but in a span of one week I found myself being stuck in a hotel room with the Queen who -back in the day- had put a reward for my head, gotten completely wasted with the same monarch, survived through a power outage that felt like the end of the world itself…"

"Yes but-" Regina stammered when he paused for breath.

"I'm not done," he interrupted her. "Saved her life on the rooftop, only to get slapped by her an hour later, and to top it all off, pretended that she was my wife."

"Hey, that was your idea." She turned to him. All the others around her were long forgotten. Everything else was forgotten besides him.

"Because of Cruella, who is _your_ friend."

"Fine, you do have a point…" she nodded. "But all that only proves how boring life is in the forest."

"You're in the forest now, I don't see you complaining." He smirked and raised one eyebrow.

"I didn't know you were such a fan of my complaining." She bit her lip.

"Robin!" Little John called out to them and they both stopped talking to direct their attention to the man who came to kneel right beside him. "With your permission, the lads have a few questions for her majesty."

Robin's gaze found Regina's and he quietly searched her eyes for permission. When she nodded, he turned to Little John. "Go ahead."

It was interesting how respectful his men were towards Robin. For a brief moment, she wondered if any of her servants had been this cautious with her, this humble and this obedient.

"Your Majesty," Friar Truck started. Everyone around the fire stopped talking to turn their attention to her. "With your permission, I need to voice an opinion that was discussed by many of the men here. We do not mean to cause you any disrespect but this is a matter that concerns both our leader," with that he glanced at Robin, "and the future of our camp."

"I'm listening." Regina nodded, peeking at Robin who was staring at Friar Truck.

"Robin," he swallowed. "We have heard rumors of a marriage. Did you and Her Majesty tie the knot?"

Regina gasped and felt Robin's hands instantly clasp around hers on her knee.

"Because," Friar Truck continued. "We need to know if she will be in charge when you're gone. The men need to know who to follow in case of an emergency." He looked at Regina. "Will you be taking over Maid Marian's duties?"

Regina's fingers tightened around Robin's as she took a deep breath and stared incredulously at the men before her. Her lips parted in shock as her gaze travelled around the camp to see if anyone was objecting to the question. No, instead everyone was nodding along, expecting an answer. Eyes still wide with surprise and completely at a loss of words, she turned to Robin who had a similar look on his face.

"I…" she felt the need to speak but was quickly interrupted by the man sitting next to her.

"What you heard is true."

An audible gasp could be heard from all throughout the camp. It did not keep Robin from speaking.

"Regina and I did indeed exchange our vows. This makes her my wife, and a respected lady in this camp. Whatever she decides will be obeyed." His gaze danced around the camp fire before landing on her as he explained. "Marian used to be second in command. In the cases of my absence, my men followed her. If you would like to assume her duties, we'll be utmost grateful."

Regina was star struck, stupefied, flabbergasted. All she could do was to stare at her mock-husband's deep blue eyes and stumble over her words. Did he not understand how big of a responsibility that was? True, back in the day she had ruled an entire kingdom, but it was never handed to her. She had taken it, plied it from cold, dead hands. But now, Robin was ready to hand her the responsibility of his entire army.

She swallowed and managed to tear her gaze from his to face the Merry Men. They were all nodding along, anticipating her response.

"Robin…" she breathed out, already at a loss of words. The fact that they even considered her for the job amazed her, carried her to the brink of tears. "I don't know what to say…"

"You don't have to say anything." Robin spoke in an understanding voice. His hand was still gently grasping hers and he stroked his thumb over her skin. "You should think about it, and give us your decision whenever you're ready."

She couldn't bring herself to say no, and so instead she found herself nodding and earning a proud smile from Robin. "Well then, that's settled!"

She was lost in his smile. She was too lost to notice how big of a commitment this was. She was too far gone to realize he hadn't let go of her hand. The weather was cold indeed but she felt all warm inside. Suddenly glad that she had taken the trouble to come here, she shifted closer to Robin on the log, pressing their thighs together.

Then all of a sudden, a soft music started playing from the distance.

"To Robin and his new wife!" they both heard one of the men shout, and Regina turned to see Little John on the guitar, playing a soft tune that brought a soft smile to her lips.

She briefly imagined herself spending the rest of her life with the Merry Men. Would every night be spent like this? Would she get to feel his hand on hers? Would she feel this warm night after night?

A few minutes later, Regina heard the music get louder and she looked up to see various men dancing around the campfire, some of them now drunk with ale. The guitar took up a faster tune and even though this was her first time being there, she found herself smiling nonetheless.

Robin was watching her. He was used to the dancing and the singing. It was a tradition among them. Roland always enjoyed it and now it felt wonderful to watch Regina enjoy it as well. He saw her leg bouncing up and down to the rhythm and her gaze had already left his and was now wandering around the camp as she watched the drunken choreography.

He couldn't wait any longer. His hand left hers and he stood up. She was startled and looked up to find him giving her a warm smile.

"Care to dance?"

She gasped, not knowing what to say. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she looked around to see how a few of the guys stared at them with wide eyes, some of them nodding, urging her to say yes. Her mouth refused to form words, but she took his hand and stood up, letting him lead her to an open, empty area around the fire.

Light shined differently from that angle. Robin placed both hands around her waist, pulling her closer to his body as she circled her arms around his neck. His hands met behind her back and he was once again reminded of how tiny she actually was, how delicate and how fragile. A small and yet sly smile curled against her lips and he bit his lip.

He glanced down. "Isn't it difficult to dance in those shoes?"

She bit back a smile before rolling her eyes and meeting his gaze. "Not very much so since you're such a bad dancer."

"Excuse me?" he let out a laugh. "Me?"

She hummed before nodding, not even registering the cool wind blowing around them. The cold didn't bother her like it used to.

"I'll have you know, I'm a great dancer." He chuckled.

"Oh yeah? Prove it."

Was that a challenge? That _was _a challenge; one Robin was more than willing to take. Suddenly his hands were leaving her waist and he tugged at her arm resting peacefully on his shoulders. She raised her eyebrows and he pushed her back before twirling her with admiration in his eyes. She let him guide her and taking advantage of the situation, he pulled her close and dipped her.

She yelped and in that instant, all Merry Men's eyes were drawn to them. Some of them shouted, some of them laughed and even a few whistles could be heard. It only encouraged her to laugh harder, louder. It was music to his ears.

When he pulled her back against him, there was a smug grin resting on his lips. "You seem impressed."

"Says who?" she retorted. Though he could tell she was indeed surprised by him.

"Your eyes give you away, m'lady."

"Have you been staring at my eyes?" she fluttered her eyelashes.

"Regina, I have never stopped."

She took in a deep breath and stared at him with her mouth open. Her heart was beating faster in her chest and butterflies were dancing in her stomach. Her instant reaction was to avoid his gaze because she wasn't used to anyone seeing her blush so hard. Then she remembered to close her mouth.

His eyes were still on her. Not because he was expecting a response,but because he liked how she squirmed under his gaze. She was relaxed in his arms; the tension that was present in the air when she had first arrived was long gone.

Silence enveloped them. Her astonishment was now replaced with bewilderment. Words refused to leave her mouth, and so she followed her instincts. She did what she was unable to stop herself from doing.

Her fingers found his neck and she pulled him closer before rising to her tiptoes and bringing their lips together. First she felt him breathe out against her skin; he had that strong scent of a man. Then she felt his lips touch her own.

Electricity ran across her veins. It may have been not her first time kissing him but it was certainly a first doing it among various whistles and shouting. His touch was gentle, both of them hyper aware of the fact that a dozen eyes were on them. It only made him want her more but he had half the brainpower to pull back after a few seconds (though he did not know how; she was like a drug to him).

"Go Robin!" Friar Truck shouted.

"Bloody hell, look at Robin!" Will spoke up. "Gettin' it on with the Queen!"

Little John paused his playing briefly to reach over and slap Will Scarlet. He never knew his limits…

Regina heard it all and not knowing what to do, she buried her head in Robin's chest with embarrassment, though a joyous smile was not absent from her lips. Then she heard Robin whisper in her ear.

"Come with me."

Who wouldn't obey such beautiful words delivered in such rich accent?

So she nodded and before she knew it, they had stopped dancing and he had grasped her hand, leading her farther away from the campfire.

She would imagine a man who spent the majority his life in the forest, hunting and building tents, stealing and going against the law (_her_ law mostly), to have calloused hands. She would imagine his touch would be rough against her skin. However Robin defied all these assumptions; his hands were soft, and every time he touched her, he would be as delicate as if she was made of precious porcelain. She wasn't.

She briefly wondered if he was even capable of being harsh. Though then she realized he must be, since the Merry Men wouldn't have him as a leader if didn't know when to show mercy and when not to.

He led her to a tent that was situated in a secluded area of his camp. The campfire barely reached this place. She didn't wait for him to lead her in; instead, overwhelmed with anticipation, she found herself parting the flaps before making her own way in.

"You okay?" he asked from behind her.

Inside, the tent was a lot darker. She had trouble spotting what was inside, but it was a small tent and so she instantly found herself curling on the cot. The place had a musky smell to it and she had to admit, being away from the fire brought back the cold that she had felt earlier. She fought a shiver. "Yes."

He followed her in and closed the flaps.

"Hello". His smile -that she could barely see in the dark- spoke a thousand words.

"Is this your way of suggesting '7 Minutes in Heaven'?" she giggled. Somehow, someway, being in the dark with him, farther away from the camp, awakened something within her. Her dress had rolled up and the deep slit that decorated it did not help. Her hands tugged at the material, a desperate attempt to try and cover her upper thighs… as if he hadn't seen it already.

"I don't know what that is…" he frowned, letting out a soft chuckle. "But I can sure take you to another realm." He threw a subtle glance to her legs but she didn't notice.

She bit back a laugh and raised her eyebrows at him as he sat next to her on the cot. It looked like a make shift bed, covered with a fur of some kind. "Is this your tent?"

"This is the tent I use if the camp is under a threat." He answered. "The men don't like me being so out in the open but I'd like to be the first to defend them if anything happens."

A proud smile graced Regina's lips. "You value them a great deal."

"They're my family." He sighed. Singing and dancing could still be heard in the distance. It was the only sound in the night besides their soft conversation. "Now, back to you."

She bit down on her lower lip, excitement building up inside her. "What's this thing that'll take me to other rea- "

He tugged on her shirt and kissed her, stealing the rest of her words. She melted into his arms, her attempts at covering her exposed thigh long forgotten. When he deepened the kiss seconds later and pulled her close, she wondered why it had even mattered at all.

She parted her lips further, welcoming his tongue into her mouth. It felt so good kissing him, so intoxicating that she wondered why she had tried to hold off for all those weeks.

The weather was so cold, but he was radiating warmth and so she shifted closer to him, grasping his shirt with one hand and pulling him closer with the other.

His hand sneaked under her coat and gripped a handful of her dress while his other hand helped her out of the outer garment. She let him, and seconds later it was thrown carelessly at the other end of the small tent.

She moaned into his mouth but he pulled away. "Lay back."

Her body complied and her back hit the cot. He followed suit and seconds later he was on top of her.

As her eyes had gotten used to the darkness, she could start to make out his features more clearly; his eyes sparkled in the night, and the moment she saw his infectious smile, a matching one appeared on her lips. Still hovering on top of her, not quite putting his body weight on her (something she wanted to remedy), he planted another kiss on her lips and before she could respond, dipped to her neck.

She closed her eyes and let herself enjoy what he did to her. She was drunk with the feeling of the moment, wanting more, craving him. When he nibbled on her skin, she let out another luxurious moan, both her hands on his back pressing him down onto her body.

His mouth slid down to the cleavage above the neckline of her dress; excitement building up inside Regina with every scrape of his teeth or swipe of his tongue. Her hands reached for his belt but he pulled himself away from her grasp before her fingers could unfasten the buckle, and seconds later he was moving on from her breasts…moving lower.

Regina frowned and lifted her head to glance at him when he hovered over her stomach, questioning eyes boring into his before his expression turned hungry and he moved down further.

"Robin?" she raised her eyebrows, voice coming out breathless.

"Hmm…" he hummed, not pausing in his journey. His fingers ran up and down her thighs clad with dark stockings.

"Robin, what are you-"

His hand then moved upward under her skirt and he traced the area around her wetness.

_Oh my…_

"Robin, you don't have to-"

"I don't have to what?" he wasn't fully listening to her; instead he was toying with her, a satisfied smirk on his lips.

His hands were still under her dress, but now his fingers were exploring her thighs, and when he finally found where her stockings started, he bit his lip and pulled them down, exposing her bare legs to him.

Regina gasped. "Robin!"

"Yeah?" He looked up at her.

She supported herself on her elbows and gave him a confused look, eyes glassy and cheeks flushed. The woman who was cold minutes ago was now hot and bothered –and Robin bit back a chuckle at the knowledge he was responsible.

"What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?"

"You're…" her eyes glanced at her crotch, and then at the abandoned stocking on the ground. "You're about to…"

"Do you not want me to?"

She swallowed. "It's just that… no one has actually…"

He frowned and sat up straight, eyeing her curiously. She looked back at him, more embarrassed than before at the fact that she had just made that confession. "No one has what?"

"You heard me, I'm not repeating."

"Regina.. you…"

"God…" she shook her head in exasperation. How did this night result in her admitting a part of her so private? Suddenly, she found herself unable to look him in the eye.

She made a move to lift herself off from the cot, having every intention to walk out of the tent and lose herself into the night but a hand on her arm stopped her. "Woah…"

"What?" she threw him an angry look, mask back on again. She swallowed the thick sorrow in her throat and eyed him, daring him to respond.

He didn't answer her, instead there was a gentle smile playing his lips, his eyes kind and understanding. Taking a deep breath, he allowed himself to lean forward before guiding her back to the bed until she was laying down again. She evaded his gaze, shyness enveloping her once more.

She couldn't help herself. Her hands went to her face and she hid her eyes away from his intense gaze. But he delicately reached over with one hand and pulled them away. With his fingers around her wrists, he lifted both her hands over her head. His grasp was firm, assertive and yet gentle at the same time.

She breathed out and watched him. He didn't utter one word but instead smiled, and once more descended over her body. Her legs were now bare and when his touch fluttered over her skin, she closed her eyes.

He was determined. And that's what scared her.

What if he didn't like it? What if he would be turned off by her? What if she didn't like it?

She couldn't help herself, her overthinking was instinct. And with her thoughts racing, her thighs instinctively drew back together. But with a searching gaze and a comforting smile, Robin gently parted them again. Her heart was beating faster in her chest and she could feel the wetness pooling between her legs. _How_, she asked herself, _how had she never experienced this before? _

It wasn't even an option with Leopold. With Graham, well, she didn't trust him enough to exceed her limits, never allowed him to touch her in any way she felt uncomfortable. And Daniel… Whilst she had lost her virginity to Daniel, he was gone before they could explore their relationship further.

Robin's touch brought her back to life, his scent burned her senses. His fingers crept under her dress once more, and upon finding her underwear, he slowly and gently brought it down her legs. Cold air hit and she inhaled with insecurity. Her wetness was becoming unbearable.

He pushed her dress up so that she was completely revealed to him. She didn't know how to feel about that except the back of her mind pondering if she remembered to shave recently or not…. Then feeling thankful when she remembered that she had.

Apart from the fact that she was bared completely to him, she realized that the cold air was beginning to turn her on even more. He hadn't even done anything yet but here she was, writhing under his touch. Frowning, she closed her eyes and felt his fingers caress her thighs.

"God…" she spoke up. He was silent. Why was he silent? Did he not like it? What if he decided to change his mind?

Her thoughts were interrupted when he trailed a finger over her sex, making her gasp. Her clothes felt tight around her. Whose idea was it not to take them off?

Anticipation was building up within and a part of her hated him for making her wait.

His other finger made contact with her wetness and before she knew he was pressing forwards, not quite letting his fingers enter her but also not keeping his touch so gentle anymore. His hand was demanding and her body was willing to give.

The bastard blew cold air on her, making her shiver before he finally dropped a soft kiss on her skin. She bit her lip and felt her heart skip a beat in her chest. He hadn't even done anything but God, she swore she was about to come from excitement of it all… The fact that she was letting him do this to her, in a tent, in a middle of nowhere, when his men were just a few yards away from them. She was laying on the bed he used in the cases of emergency and she had him between her legs. It thrilled her, made her cover her face with her warm hands.

He kissed her again, down _there._ However this time it was an open mouthed one. The second she felt the sensation, she parted her lips on a breathy exhale. Her heart was beating faster and her hips moved underneath him in an attempt to get more. When he moved with her, part of her groaned with frustration. _Wouldn't it be better_, she thought, _wouldn't it be better to just drop all of it and have him inside of her already_? But another part of her knew that whatever she'd say wouldn't talk him out of living this moment with her, there and then.

When his tongue gave her one long lick across her sex, she couldn't help but whimper. It felt so damn good. He chuckled and did it again, this time earning a louder moan from her. His hands were still on her sex, slowly rubbing the places where she needed to be touched and her eyes fell closed as she focused solely on the pleasure he provided her.

Everything dissipated around her. His tongue was back on her sex and now he was licking and sucking without pause.

_Goodness…_

Her hands grabbed a handful of the blanket he had her laid on top of the bed. Her legs tightened around his neck, but with one hand, he gently spread them apart, giving him room to breathe. She didn't care, she'd let him control her any which way he liked as long as he continued doing that. She licked her lips and let out another moan.

"Woah…" was all she could manage to utter. Her lingual abilities refused to work.

It was all wet down there, she could feel it. It was her juice combined with his salvia and _God_, was that supposed to feel this good? Was it? She groaned as her hips started moving in the same rhythm with his mouth.

His lips were on her, she realized. It was the most she had let a man do to her. It was electrifying, sensational, and for a second she pondered what her mother would think if she were to find out where was she and who was she with. The thought of disobeying her, going against everything she stood for, thrilled her all the more. There was something about breaking the rules, especially with someone whom you trusted, that filled one with a sense of rebellious arousal.

Then two of his fingers entered her and his lips enclosed around her clit, making her train of thought completely derail.

"Aah!"

Well, that was definitely louder than she expec-

"Oh, God!" Her voice came out high. _God_, it felt delicious. She could feel every single maneuver of his lips on her. Her hips were bucking against his mouth and he was struggling to keep them under control. Her moans were the only sound that filled the night, and if she were to listen very closely, she could hear him groan between each breath he took.

It gave her life.

She scooted closer and let him take her in the way he truly wanted, her fingers disappearing in his hair. The woman who was struggling to keep her legs open just minutes ago was now refusing to close them. She was too overwhelmed, especially by him.

His actions grew faster. His tongue moved frantically over her womanhood and his fingers kept pumping in and out of her without pause. She was incredibly wet, and she knew it made it easier for him, made his groans louder. She whimpered and moaned, biting her reddened lips as her eyes scrunched shut.

_God…._

That's when it started building up inside of her. She parted her legs even wider and provided him with more access to her body. She didn't even know if she had any control over her movements anymore, but she could already feel her hands tingling. She was breathing in and out, rapidly and she felt her mouth go dry. Then the feeling became urgent, as if she desperately needed release.

"Robin, I'm…."

He got faster, and her head hit back on the pillow. She arched her back and let him do whatever the hell he wanted to her. At that point, he could have turned her over and started fucking her from behind and she wouldn't even have minded. But he didn't; instead his thrusts got deeper, his grunts got louder and his breath was hot and haggard against her sex as the feeling was built up inside of her.

It became stronger, more powerful and began taking over all her coherent thought. So she gripped the blanket and set her primitive side free, letting out a loud moan. Then another one. Anf then a third one – upon which her jaw dropped and the moan turned into a scream.

Robin sucked harder and something clicked inside of her, shattering her to pieces. She rode her orgasm, long and hard, never ceasing to express her gratitude. She was mumbling, she didn't know what exactly, but couldn't bring herself to a stop.

"Robinnn…." She stressed out the last syllable and could hear the bastard chuckle. It felt heavenly and she was fully in the clouds.

He was also slowly coming to a halt. Everything he did, she felt it three times more, surprised at how sensitive she actually was.

He finished her off with one final kiss, before moving up to her abdomen and giving another kiss over her dress –though she was far too gone to notice. He then hovered over her body and dropped another gentle kiss on her neck before finding her lips.

She kissed him back automatically, already thankful for his efforts to make her feel the peak of pleasure. It was a sloppy kiss, one they did not care to make perfect; the only thing that mattered now was his lips on hers.

"That was…"

"I know." He gave her a smug smile.

"If I could move my hands, I would hit you."

He chuckled and licked his lips, proud in the knowledge he had made the great and powerful Regina Mills numb and boneless to the point where she couldn't even raise a hand to hit him.

Regina could see his gorgeous blue eyes glimmer in the dark, stunned at how shamelessly handsome he looked.

"Are you sure violence is what you'd prefer at the moment?" he smirked.

"You're right…" she mumbled, although she wasn't sure how to finish that sentence. She was incapable of coherent thought. "I'm too weak to move my arms."

"Are you one of those that go straight to sleep right after an orgasm?" he watched her eyes close momentarily but a second later she opened them back up, staring hazily into his own eyes.

"Is that a bad thing?"

"Well, they could be awaiting us back in-"

"Shh!" she found the power to bring a hand to his lips, finally silencing him. When he obeyed her request, her fingers moved down to his collar and she brought him down on the bed. When he fell right next to her, she giggled. Good. He was exactly where she wanted him to be.

"Thank you." Was thanking him a stupid gesture? Was one supposed to thank their giver of orgasms in situations like these?

"It was my utmost pleasure." He replied with a grin, one she was unable to see now that she had her back to him.

His arms sneaked their way around her waist and she yelped a little when he suddenly pulled her closer, crushing her back to his chest. Warmth instantly enveloped her body. If he was trying to wake her up, this was certainly doing the opposite. Her eyelids began to close and she couldn't begin to wake herself up from the debut of a peaceful slumber.

"You know what I think?" he whispered from behind her, his nose already buried in her hair.

"Hm?"

"Let's do something tomorrow. You, me and Roland."

"Mmh…" was the only audible sound that left her throat.

"We can go the lake." Robin continued. "He loves it there, you'll see. He'll be up and about in a matter of seconds. Henry can come too. What do you think?"

There was no reply. She was already fast asleep.


End file.
